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Playin’ Possum: Critter in Safe Hands With Muni Employee

Friday, May 27, 2016

Patty Ruiz never knows quite what to expect in a day’s work traveling the streets of San Francisco as an SFMTA Transit Fare Inspector. One thing’s for sure — she didn’t expect this.

Woman in a dark fare inspector jacket and sunglasses holds a small opossum in a dark cloth.
Transit Fare Inspector Patty Ruiz poses with her new friend. 

Earlier this week, while on duty with fellow inspectors, Ruiz was stopped by two men in a car on Bryant and 3rd streets. They wanted to give her something they found on the freeway. Before Ruiz could explain that she wasn’t with the lost and found, the car sped off leaving her with an unusual find — a baby opossum.

It was hard not to fawn over the cute little creature. Ruiz and her cohorts did one better: They took the opossum to the animal shelter.

We know our Animal Care and Control colleagues there will take good care of our pink-nosed passenger.

A small opossum being held in a dark cloth