While we’re incredibly busy rescuing dogs and cats at our Hope Animal Sanctuary in Mississippi, we’re also extremely happy when  we can sometimes lend our help to other animals in need too. When a recent call came in about three orphaned baby opossums, we didn’t hesitate to help them get started on their journey back to the wild.

It’s always tragic when something happens to a mother animal who has young to care for, but we’re grateful for the compassionate people who intervene when they’re able to. In this case, it was our Hope Animal Sanctuary’s operations manager’s granddaughter who found these opossums and knew just who to call: us!  

We immediately contacted a local wildlife rehabilitator, but she was out of town and gave us special instructions on how to care for them until she returns and can take them in.

In the meantime, these adorably precious little joeys are being kept warm and fed, and getting the best chance at survival possible in the granddaughter’s care. We hope that soon they’ll be ready to be released and their story will help even more people appreciate these unique marsupials.

Opossums aren’t just inherently valuable in the same way each of us is, they’re also an important part of healthy ecosystems; they provide a number of beneficial services and have even been nicknamed “nature’s little sanitation engineers.”

If you find one who is unquestionably in distress, please call a licensed wildlife rehabilitator for assistance, and help us coexist with them better by educating others about their importance and how to avoid potential conflicts. If any have taken up residence somewhere they’re not wanted, it’s best to just be patient. They’ll likely be on their way in 2-3 days without any prompting.

If seeing these precious infants makes your heart swell with gratitude, please consider making a donation to help us care for the next group of needy animals we encounter in Mississippi.