Thank you ARC

I was enroute to the grocery store when I noticed movement by the side of the road. Looking in the rear view mirror, I saw what looked to be an opossum moving off the asphalt into the grass. I know they move slowly but this one was moving s-l-o-w-l-y. With a sinking feeling, I turned the CRV around and went back. The possom lay on its side in the grass, breathing unevenly. There was blood on the road. My heart went out to the poor creature. I took a cautious step toward it and it lifted its head to look me directly in the eye. It didn't hiss or growl but simply regarded me, then laid its head back on the leaves.

Certain that it was a goner, I drove on to the store, crying all the way. But I couldn't get the image of that possum looking at me out of my mind. I hurried to finish my shopping and made my way back to see if the possom was no longer suffering. Much to my surprise -- and dismay -- it had moved a yard further into the woods and was still breathing.

There was rain in the forecast, a cold night ahead and I tend to fall apart when I see an animal suffering. Thank heavens, Fred is more rational than I at such times. One look at my tear-stained face and he was online & on the phone. The first call was to ARC (our area Animal Rehabilitation Center). Being a Sunday, we got the answering machine. More phone calls followed, even to out-of-state possum rehabilitators. One of them advised us to get the possum in a large cardboard box, lined with a towel and to keep a heating pad under the box.

We did. Although the possom had moved another two yards deeper into the woods and was surrounded by brambles. I only had one glove but I managed to hold them back as Fred nudged the box toward the possom who by now was growling and hissing. I could see blood around its mouth and scrapes on its ears and cheek. Fred gently laid the towel over the frightened animal and I tried to slide it as carefully as I could inside the box.

Back at home, we took it down to the storage shed. Fred went to Walgreens to buy a heating pad while I watched over the possum. It was still breathing unevenly, making no effort to escape. About 30 minutes later, an ARC rehabilitator from Shelby called and told us she would try to find someone in our area who would come to get the possum. In the meantime she said it would be fine to feed it some apple and set aside some water for it. (On their recorded message they say not to this but that, she explained, was meant for injured babies who might aspirate on food or water.) So I chopped up some tiny bits of apple and put water in a shallow bowl and we went back out to offer this to our marsupial patient.

As I was carefully positioning the water I saw movement. A small furry head poked out from the possum's belly. Babies! I quickly removed the water and apple pieces. Now it was even more urgent that the possum get care as quickly as possible. And ARC came through with the help we needed. They found a nearby rehabilitator from Matthews who met us in a Petsmart parking lot just 20 minutes from our house. On the way home, it began to thunder and the rain began to fall. I was thankful Mama and babies were now in the care of skilled & compassionate hands and not still in those woods.

I didn't wish to disturb the possums by taking a picture of them. And as a good friend says, they need their energy. So this clipart image is the best I can offer.



Hopefully we'll hear from Pat (the rehabilitator aka Angel of Mercy) and learn Mama and babies made it through their ordeal. Whatever the outcome, I'm grateful for the wonderful, generous people who make ARC what it is. It takes a special sort of person to donate their time to the care of sick, injured or orphaned wild life. Thank you, ARC.