SOUTHPORT, NC (WWAY) — A woman in Brunswick County works to care for all of God’s creatures, one possum at a time.
Anna Bolduc is a certified wildlife rehabilitator and runs Bolduc’s Wildlife Rescue in Southport, where she takes care of injured and orphaned animals. She is licensed to care for small mammals such as opossums, squirrels, cottontail rabbits, rats and mice. Bolduc started about two years ago and she hopes to expand soon and get her fawn permit.
Anna Bolduc tube feeding a baby possum at Bolduc’s Wildlife Rescue (Photo: Sydney Bouchelle/WWAY)
At the moment, with the help of her husband and children, she is currently rehabilitating many opossums. Bolduc says she will be called if anyone encounters an injured animal or finds an animal hit by a car and discovers its pouch is full of babies.
She also cares for Bennett, an possum who developed metabolic bone disease after being fed a high-protein diet that didn’t give him the calcium he needed.
“Their bodies will compromise, but suck the calcium out of their bones and their bones become brittle and stiff and they become paralyzed,” Bolduc said. “Little Bennett got it fast enough. So he’s on the right diet and should make a full recovery in the coming months.”
Bennett, a possum recovering from metabolic bone disease at Bolduc’s Wildlife Rescue (Photo: Sydney Bouchelle/WWAY)
Bolduc says MBD could be caused by well-meaning people trying to ingest opossums but unaware of their need for a diet well-balanced between calcium, phosphorus and vitamin D. While the creatures can be cute, there is a lot of research is needed to properly care for it. Not to mention it’s illegal to keep as a pet in the state of North Carolina.
The furry little creatures are more than just cute. Opossums can help clear up other pests.
“If you don’t like cockroaches, poisonous snakes, ticks or even spiders, then you should like the possum because they pretty much clean that up for you,” Bolduc said.
Bolduc’s Wildlife Rescue is a 501c3 non-profit organization that relies on donations and community support to keep it going. The animal lover balances life as a full-time mother to two children and a full-time wildlife rehabilitator, caring for animals and teaching her children the importance of showing respect to every creature along the way.
“We are Christians and we believe that God has put us in charge of the animals and given us dominion over them, and it is our responsibility to take care of them,” Bolduc said. “That’s the main reason we do it and we love them too. They all deserve a chance.”
For more information on Bolduc’s Wildlife Rescue, visit their Facebook page.