A woman recently went viral after she discovered a baby possum nestled in her dog’s fur.
Amelia (TikTok handle @user41313063614353) posted a video showing her Bernese Mountain Dog caring for the little creature. The short clip resonated widely online, accumulating 1.2 million likes and 6.1 million views.
“Literally could not make this up,” she captioned the post. “Woke up to a baby possum in the dog’s fur,” they wrote as the text overlay on footage that shows the animal wrapped in a towel.
Are Possums Dangerous to Dogs—and What To Do if You Encounter One
According to Veterinary Care at Your Fingertips, possums are typically peaceful and prefer to avoid conflict.
Even if they feel threatened, their usual response is to “play dead” rather than attack—though they may hiss, bare teeth, or attempt a bite or scratch if truly cornered.
That said, there are some health risks associated with possum-dog encounters, such as scratches, bites, or exposure to parasites (e.g. fleas or ticks) or bacteria—which means pet owners should still be cautious.
If you find a baby possum—especially one that seems orphaned or alone—you should ideally contact a wildlife rehabilitator rather than attempt to care for it yourself. When handling a possum (or any wild mammal), wear protective gloves and place the animal gently in a secure container like a box with a lid and air holes.
If the creature appears uninjured and healthy, it’s often best—and sometimes legally required—to leave it alone, giving its mother a chance to return.
Social Media Reactions
The TikTok post prompted a flood of reactions and debate from viewers.
Some commented skeptically, suggesting the creature couldn’t be a possum.
“Not people who are thinking of opossums commenting this isn’t a possum,” shared one user.
Others admitted a moment of confusion. “I forgot Australian possums existed for a minute because I was like ‘that is definitely not one of my precious needle toothed babie,’” said another.
Meanwhile, a more cautious user urged for responsible care. “Please make sure bubba is taken into a vet / wildlife hospital ringtail possum babies need to be raised together and have specialized needs,” they wrote.
One commenter also clarified a common naming confusion across regions. “FOR ANY AMERICANS IS ANYONE CONFUSED: coming from an American, we have a whole different species called opossums. The animal in the video is a possum. We do tend to call our opossums possums though and confuse ourselves,” said Kinley.
In North America the marsupial is typically called an “opossum,” whereas in Australia and other regions the term “possum” refers to a different species—leading to frequent mix-ups in casual conversation.
Some viewers found the story touching.
“Dog seemed happy to be a possum mom. (Glad to know the baby got into wildlife expert hands tho. I hope it survives and can be released,” said Eni.
“He’s not a stepfather, he’s a father that stepped up,” shared another user.
“Girl that’s his labubu,” added another.
Newsweek reached out to Amelia for comment via TikTok. We could not verify the details of the case.
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