San Diego

Mother Opossum With Seven Babies Rescued from Chain Link Fence

Seven babies were clinging to the pouch of the mother opossum, who was snagged on the crossed wire prongs at the top of a chain link fence.

Animal control rescued a mother opossum that was trapped on the spikes of a chain link fence, with seven babies in her pouch Saturday, announced County officials.

The opossum is now recovering after her belly got snagged on the crossed wire prongs at the top of the fence. County of San Diego officials say the wire prongs were twisted inside her body.

A passerby saw the opossum was stuck and called County Animal Services. Upon arriving, Animal Control Officer Carlos Wallis knew he could not simply remove the animal without hurting her and possibly damaging the babies clinging to her pouch, according to County officials.

Officer Wallis cut out the portion of the fence surrounding the opossum and took the tiny family to Project Wildlife, a program from San Diego Humane Society that helps injured wild animals.

Since then, the wire prongs have been carefully removed from the mother opossum's body and she's now on the path to recovery, said County officials.

As soon as she's fully recovered, the mother and her seven babies will be freed back into the same location where she was initially found.

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