They weren’t expecting that.
By Maeve Dunigan
Published on April 1, 2026 at 1:53 PM
Meet Possum: a sweet rescue animal who isn’t actually an opossum at all.
Recently, a Good Samaritan in Pennsylvania found Possum struggling to survive. The poor wild girl was emaciated, dehydrated and suffering from severe hair loss. Given the animal’s long, hairless tail and pointed face, the Good Samaritan assumed that Possum was, well, a very sick opossum. They scooped her up and brought her to rescuers at the Schuylkill Center for Environmental Education right away.
Upon arrival, rescuers quickly realized there was a misunderstanding. This animal wasn’t an opossum — she was a raccoon.
Given that raccoons are a rabies vector species in Pennsylvania and require specialized care, rescuers at the Schuylkill Center transferred Possum to experts at Aark Wildlife Rehabilitation and Education Center.
Safe at Aark, Possum began fluid therapy and eventually received treatment for her mange and skin infections. Weeks went by, and Possum’s appetite improved. Her energy levels increased, and her skin began to heal. With renewed energy, Possum began looking and acting like a raccoon again.
“As she’s gained strength, we’ve started to see her natural raccoon behaviors come through,” Aark clinic director Amanda Leyden told The Dodo. “She’s more alert, curious about her surroundings, and much more engaged during feeding and care.”
Rescuers at Aark enjoyed watching Possum come out of her shell and learning more about her personality.
“Unlike many raccoons, she keeps her enclosure remarkably tidy and rarely makes a mess,” Leyden said. “We like to call patients like her ‘polite.’”
According to Leyden, Possum still has a way to go before she makes a full recovery. However, rescuers are hopeful that she will eventually be ready to return to her home in the wild. Until then, she’s safe with experts who have her best interests at heart.
“Cases like Possum’s are emotionally challenging, especially in the beginning when the outcome is uncertain,” Leysen said. “Seeing her improve reminds our team why we do this work. Watching an animal come back from the brink and regain strength is something that never gets old.”
To help other animals like Possum, you can donate to the Aark Wildlife Rehabilitation and Education Center.
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Scraggly Cat Walks Into Voting Booth On Election Day And Begs Volunteer For Help
“It was heartbreaking” 🥺
By Ashley Ortiz
When Paula Cuesta arrived at her local high school at 6:45 a.m. the other day, the hallways were still quiet. It was election day in Colombia, and Cuesta was one of the first volunteers to show up that morning. But as she walked down the empty corridor to her assigned room, she suddenly noticed a small figure staring at her from a distance.
Cuesta instantly recognized the animal as a tabby cat. But as she got closer, she realized something was very wrong.
“I noticed he had a huge wound on the side of his head, behind his ear,” Cuesta told The Dodo. “He was missing one ear, and one of his eyes was injured, too. It was heartbreaking.”