Adriane S.

My journey began when 9 orphaned opossums were found in my front yard. I could not find a rehabber nearby to that them but I couldn’t ignore them, so I started learning everything I could. I completed the required training, became a licensed wildlife rehabilitator in North Carolina, and have dedicated countless hours to caring for animals that are injured, or orphaned.

Opossums have especially stolen my heart. They’re one of the most misunderstood native mammals, yet they’re incredibly gentle, intelligent, and beneficial to our environment. Watching tiny, fragile joeys grow from helpless babies into healthy, independent animals ready for release is one of the most rewarding experiences. Not every animal survives, and those losses are heartbreaking, but every life is worth fighting for.

Wildlife rehabilitation isn’t glamorous. It means sleepless nights, feeding babies around the clock, cleaning enclosures, providing medications, and constantly learning to improve the care I provide. I do it because these animals have no voice and no choice—they depend entirely on the kindness of people willing to help.

An incubator would make an incredible difference in my rehabilitation efforts. Many of the animals I receive are newborns or “pinkies” that cannot regulate their own body temperature. Providing stable heat and humidity during those critical first weeks can mean the difference between life and death. Having a reliable incubator would allow me to give these vulnerable babies the best possible chance to survive, grow, and ultimately return to the wild where they belong.

Every successful release reminds me why I started. Seeing an animal that once fit in the palm of my hand disappear back into the woods is a feeling that’s hard to describe. That’s why I rehab—and why I’ll continue doing everything I can to give wildlife a second chance.