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Natural death or not?

Why don't you put a box out there, so they at least have some shade to be in and have some comfort.

I'm a crying sucker for animals, and would have scooped them up and tried to keep them alive until a wildlife agency could help.
 
Here's the scoop thus far.

As of 3:30 pm, the baby Possums have moved away from their dead mother and have taken shelter in the shade at the base of one of the apple trees...hidding in amongst the taller grass/weeds around the tree. The dead mother...well, she's still dead. Have not received a call back from the Ohio Department of Wildlife officer yet. Did get in touch with a helpful lady at the Humane Society. She gave me numbers for two wildlife rescue facilities and gave me the following advice: do not move the babies, do not touch the babies, do not euthanize the babies. Seems Ohio has some pretty strict rules about moving, handling or interfering with wildlife. Just moving the babies to a shadier/safer spot is a 5th Degree Felony with up to a year in prison and a 10,000 dollar fine....and that would be per animal. Euthanizing the babies would be also be felonies. So, I am keeping my mitts off the babies unless they die and I bury them or one of the rescue facilities send someone to come and get the babies and I help them catch them.

Called both wildlife centers...got in touch with a lady from one of them...she said the center would gladly take the baby Possums in if I would bring them to the facility...unfortunately, our car is not trust worthy enough to make the 3 hour round trip. She gave me 2 numbers for a lady to call who would come and get them...called both numbers and left messages.

At this point I have done all I can for the little buggers....well, there is more that I could do for them, but only at the risk of felony charges.

OBIO
 
Good job, I know you're concerned. If it's against the law to help them, then you've done all you can.
 
OBIO said:
Here's the scoop thus far.

As of 3:30 pm, the baby Possums have moved away from their dead mother and have taken shelter in the shade at the base of one of the apple trees...hidding in amongst the taller grass/weeds around the tree. The dead mother...well, she's still dead. Have not received a call back from the Ohio Department of Wildlife officer yet. Did get in touch with a helpful lady at the Humane Society. She gave me numbers for two wildlife rescue facilities and gave me the following advice: do not move the babies, do not touch the babies, do not euthanize the babies. Seems Ohio has some pretty strict rules about moving, handling or interfering with wildlife. Just moving the babies to a shadier/safer spot is a 5th Degree Felony with up to a year in prison and a 10,000 dollar fine....and that would be per animal. Euthanizing the babies would be also be felonies. So, I am keeping my mitts off the babies unless they die and I bury them or one of the rescue facilities send someone to come and get the babies and I help them catch them.

Called both wildlife centers...got in touch with a lady from one of them...she said the center would gladly take the baby Possums in if I would bring them to the facility...unfortunately, our car is not trust worthy enough to make the 3 hour round trip. She gave me 2 numbers for a lady to call who would come and get them...called both numbers and left messages.

At this point I have done all I can for the little buggers....well, there is more that I could do for them, but only at the risk of felony charges.

OBIO
Click to expand...

Wow!

I'm certainly happy you didn't take my advice then!

Though I am sure being a good samaritan, I doubt they'd "throw the book at you," but still best to leave them alone and remove all chance!

Ken
 
OBIO,....I went through the similar thing about five years ago with a baby squirrel. I found it (eyes closed and hairless) at the base of the tree in the backyard. Trying to be the Good Samaritan for the little guy,....I made numerous phone calls to various animal shelters to see if they'd take the infant squirrel. Most wouldn't,...and the one shelter that would,........would not since they were booked solid with other baby squirrels that needed constant attention. I mean "CONSTANT ATTENTION." The woman on staff gave me a long list of things I'd have to do to keep it alive. Besides around the clock feeding it needed an incubator of types in order to maintain the proper temperature for him.
That I didn't do (and hoped for the best) but did purchase a special baby formula (suggested for the animal shelter lady) to eye dropper the liquid into it's mouth.
Well,...to make a long story short,....the little guy died within so many days after I had found it. He wouldn't take nourishment. I think it would have been better from the beginning if I had just left him there. Either the mother squirrel would have eventually retrieved him or a raccoon would have found him as prey. Both would have been Nature's Way.
Next time when I find a baby animal/animals by itself I plan to leave it alone.
 
OBIO,

As it has been a new day, are there any new developments? I hope the rescue center has taken it in now. I hate seeing animals suffer. :crybaby:
 
Mother Nature claimed the babies as her own. They will not be food for other small animals, just as their momma fed a Turkey Vulture. The lady I had contacted Sunday about coming and getting the babies called me back very late yesterday afternoon...well after it was too late.

OBIO
 
Next time, just make no mention of it to anyone and put the opossums down. It's not cruel, it's not humane, it's just done. You can tell yourself that at least they didn't suffer if it makes it easier to do.

Or just buy a pet snake, our 21 year old red tail boa, "Fluffy" would've loved to have the little opossums over for dinner.
 
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