Can You Guess?

Can you guess what this animal is?












If you guessed an opossum, then you'd be correct.

You would also be correct if you said that Judson caught and killed one in our backyard yesterday. Seriously!

Hubby and I were watching some television last night and the dogs were outside playing in the backyard. At one point, I commented that the dogs were being too quiet and so I got up to check on them. When I called for them at the back door, the dogs didn't come. Curious....

I tried calling again, but no response. In my nightgown (note- it was cold last night), I walked into the backyard and tried to spot them. Our yard isn't huge, but it has a lot of trees towards the back. At first I didn't see them and I feared that someone had left one of the gates open, but then I heard a scratching sound.

Not again! Judson had managed to wedge himself between our fence and the neighbor's chain-link fence for the third time. (Side note- the fence I am referring to is located behind our garage and is currently very make-shift. The neighbors on that side have a temperamental pit bull, so the chain-link they already had up, didn't feel like enough of a barrier between our yards. We are hoping to put up a more sturdy, solid wood fence this fall and then it will match the rest of our yard).

Sure enough, Judson was the one scratching on the wood of the fence. At the time, I thought he was stuck and trying to get out. I ran for Hubby, who promptly came and asked for a flashlight. While I ran for the flashlight, he managed to free Judson. When I returned, he shared the grim news- Judson had killed something behind the fence. In the pursuit of full disclosure- Judson has a penchant for killing small animals. In the past, he has killed mice and snakes (just writing about it gives me the heeby-jeebies all over again).

After a quick look behind the fence, Hubby confirmed that it was an opossum. I didn't even realize we had opossum in our area. I guess there are actually quite a few. Thankfully, I have never seen one before because I get a bit creeped out by their little hands and feet- so intricately disturbing.

Anyway, the evening ended with Judson getting a serious scrub down in the tub and a 1/2 hour brushing of his teeth. Today, Hubby has to go into the backyard and dispose of the carcass (I really don't like that word). Geesh.

What a disturbing ending to my Thursday night... and right after I had posted all about my amazing, cute and cuddly dogs.

Bottom line, dogs will be dogs. They are still amazing and cute and I'll cuddle with Judson again in like a week, after I get the image of those little opossum hands and feet out of my head. So distressing...