Hadspen resident Rowan Wigmore moved to Tasmania three years ago, and began volunteering at the Bonorong Wildlife Rescue.

He had previously volunteered at similar organisations across Australia, including in Victoria, New South Wales, and Queensland.

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Mr Wigmore said during the 16 years he had spent rescuing wildlife, he had never witnessed such a high volume of animal injuries and deaths caused by vehicles.

"The amount of roadkill here is just horrendous, and even on my commute from home to work every day, I come across a new dead animal," he said.

To locals, this is nothing new, and is more-or-less a part of everyday life in Tasmania.

Per kilometre, more animals die on Tasmanian roads than anywhere else in the world, with an estimated 500,000 road-related animal deaths recorded each year.

On average, 32 animals are killed every hour on the state's roads, that's more than one every two minutes.

Often noted by visitors and residents alike, the abundant roadkill occasionally sparks up debate, and generates calls for management action.

However, what is less commonly discussed is how injured animals are treated after being hit by a vehicle, particularly when their injuries are deemed irreparable.

Although euthanasia is a sensitive issue for wildlife rehabilitators, especially for those new to the field, it is a fact of life.

Euthanasia is one of the most common veterinary procedures performed on wildlife, and resorting to such measures is not an indication of failure, but rather is an act based on ethics and compassion.

According to the Department of Natural Resources and Environment Tasmania' website, the primary role of a wildlife rehabilitator is to alleviate the suffering of sick or injured wildlife.

The department's Best Practice Guidelines for Wildlife Rehabilitation suggests not every animal can, or should be, saved.

It also states the importance for a rehabilitator to recognise when euthanasia is the best outcome.

"In emergency situations, where all reasonable attempts to contact a veterinarian or experienced rehabilitator for advice have failed, and the animal is suffering severe injury or disease, euthanasia should be performed using the correct technique by someone who is competent in performing this task," it read.

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Mr Wigmore said those "emergency situations" were more common than not.

He believed sedating the animals and administering an intravenous overdose of pentobarbital, was the most common and humane method of animal euthanasia.

"The animal becomes unconscious immediately, which is followed by respiratory and cardiac arrest, usually within 30 seconds ... it's a very peaceful death," he said.

However, wildlife rescue volunteers are prevented from being accredited to carry and use the drug in most Australian states.

An Australian Veterinary Association spokesperson said this was because veterinarians undertook a five to six year degree, through which they become registered to perform acts of veterinary science and to use highly regulated medications.

Among those medications, is pentobarbital, which is a Scheduled 8 controlled drug in Tasmania, due to its lethal consequences and complex management.

That leaves few alternatives for wildlife rescue volunteers tending to a sick or injured wild animal, and needing to "put it out of its misery".

According to long-time wildlife rehabilitator, Juleen Angove, the quickest and arguably most humane method is to shoot the animal.

However, she said little to no volunteers in wildlife rescue groups across the state have gun licenses.

The Firearm Services section of the Tasmania Police website, details the genuine reasons to possess or use a firearm, in accordance with the the 1996 Firearms Act.

Vermin control, animal population control, and animal welfare are three of the eight acceptable reasons.

However, despite those grounds sounding as though they may encompass the euthanising of wild animals, they in fact only apply in a domestic setting, according to Ms Angove.

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"You can shoot animals on a property that you own, or on the property of someone who has given you permission to, but as a wildlife rescue volunteer, I cannot shoot an injured animal on public property," she said.

This was confirmed by a Tasmanian Police spokesperson, who suggested the use of captive bolt devices in these circumstances, as they do not require a firearms licence.

However, an NRE spokesperson said captive bolt devices were not included as an acceptable method of euthanasia, as per the department's guidelines.

The method hadn't yet been verified as humane due to lack of research to determine the optimal placement of the device, or the efficacy it has of causing immediate unconsciousness.

The remaining methods of euthanasia available to wildlife rescuers, in accordance with Tasmanian law, are spinal severance or cervical dislocation followed by brain destruction, decapitation, or blunt force trauma to the head.

The latter of which, Mr Wigmore explained, is the most common method and, for him, comes by way of a sledgehammer blow to the skull, a task he has undertaken on countless occasions.

"It's messy, and the animal often isn't killed by the first blow ... It's something that really takes a toll mentally," he said.

"The number of volunteers in Tasmania is low, meaning the mental effect these confronting instances have on an individual isn't spread out, and instead, comes back to the same few people, again and again."

Ms Angove echoed a similar sentiment, labelling the method as "very traumatic".

She revealed the repetitive, grisly incidents had forced her to reach out multiple times to Wild Talk, a counselling organisation that specifically caters for wildlife rescuers, carers, and veterinary professionals.

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Wild Talk founder, Frances Carleton, said the organisation's phone service received calls from about 50 Tasmanians last year.

"Grief and loss make up about a quarter of our calls, commonly caused by the means used to euthanase," she said.

"You have people who care deeply about animals, resorting to violent measures."

Owner and director of Bonorong Wildlife Sanctuary, Greg Irons, said the topic was challenging for the public to understand.

"These procedures are a last resort, aimed at preventing further suffering," he said.

"It's made really clear to our rescuers that there is no obligation for them to euthanase, and if they're not completely comfortable with it, then they shouldn't do it."

Mr Wigmore said stopping was not an option for him, citing a planned euthanasia training session at the sanctuary that had fallen through due to poor attendance.

"No one else will do it, and if you care about animals, you keep going," he said.

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