Animals

Animal Services Saves Mother Opossum Snagged on Fence

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A mother opossum is now recovering after she was found with the spikes of a chain link fence embedded in her skin Saturday in San Diego. No one knows whether the opossum slipped or her belly got snagged on the crossed wire prongs at the top of the fence but they were twisted inside her body. She and the seven babies in her pouch were trapped and couldn’t move to safety.

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An animal control officer had to cut out the portion of the fence surrounding the opossum.

Someone in the neighborhood noticed the opossum’s predicament and called County Animal Services. When Animal Control Officer Carlos Wallis arrived, he saw he couldn’t just remove the animal without hurting her and her clinging babies. He cut out the portion of the fence surrounding her and took the little family to Project Wildlife.

The wire prongs have been removed from the mother opossum’s body and she’s now on the mend. Once she’s fully recuperated, the mother and her babies will be released back into the same general area where she was found.

Tracy DeFore is a communications specialist with the County of San Diego Communications Office. Contact