When Sheri Kassalias agreed to nurse an orphaned opossum named Opie back to health until he is self-sufficient enough to be raised in the wild, the woman had no idea she would end up keeping the animal. “Opie was so sweet he demanded to be held. He climbed up my sleeve,” Kassalias, who works as an opossum and dog rescuer, told The Dodo. The opossum even began licking and grooming the woman, demonstrating a cat-like affectionate behaviour known as ‘slubbing’. While she released two other opossums she was fostering at the time, the woman knew what to do when it came to Opie…

Kassalias would have had to completely cut off all contact with Opie to make sure he is still releasable, but she chose to commit to keeping the animal forever.

Today Opie is a family member, sharing his owner’s South Carolina home with her husband, her two dogs, a 25-year-old tortoise named Bubba and a foster canine. Besides, Opie is registered with the USDA so that he can help his human mom educate kids about the the brilliant animals that opossums are. “He is an amazing ambassador,” says Kassalias.

More info: Facebook (h/t: thedodo)

Meet Opie, the orphaned opossum who found a loving forever home with humans

Sheri Kassalias planned to nurse Opie back to health until he is ready be raised in the wild

“Opie was so sweet he demanded to be held. He climbed up my sleeve”

The opossum even began licking and grooming the woman like a cat would

Rescuer would have had to completely cut off all contact with Opie to make sure he is releasable

But she chose to commit to keeping the animal forever. “So here we are almost two years later”

Today Opie is a family member, sharing his owner’s home with her husband and other pets

Opie helps his human mom educate kids about opossums

“He is an amazing ambassador”

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