Windsor Opossum

by Peter De Wagner
(Windsor, Ontario, Canada)

I let one of my three Shih Tzus out for a quick bathroom break before bed. Being's the weather has been a bit chilly at night - I left the patio door open with just the screen door closed.

After being outside for about 10 minutes my dog began to bark violently (which he never does). When I went to the Patio, there sitting atop of the fence, was an Opossum no more then 5 feet from me and the dog.

I took my leaf rake and gently probed him along. Once I got him to move he simply lowered himself to the first rug of the other side of the fence and I could hear him begin to scurry off.

How do I know if he was just a lone passer through or he has set up house somewhere in my yard or my house. There are no holes in and around my house and my garage door is seldom if ever open.

So I am thinking if he is my issue the only place he could find a way in is maybe the attic but there is a full blown Trailer Park in my backyard so I am going to assume he has taken up residence there and only visits my small garden when looking for a Midnight snack.

Do I need to take precaution and attempt to rid the neighborhood of this guy or live and let live.

I just don't want any one of my 3 small dogs having a confrontation with him.

Hi Peter, thanks for sending us your report of your Opossum sighting.

I don't think a Possum poses a danger to your dogs, they do snarl and show their teeth when threatened, but then they avoid confrontation by "playing possum" and pretending to be dead until the danger passes!

We have the occasional Possum which spends the winter under our concrete back steps, so my guess would be that he / she may find a sheltered spot in your yard where it can hide and survive the winter.

Hope you don't mind, I added a picture of a Possum on a fence!