🦉✨ Rehabber Spotlight: Linda Veraldi ✨🦉 Meet Linda Veraldi from North Raleigh — a dedicated permitted wildlife rehabilitator who’s been helping wild critters for the past 8 years! While she’s worked with many species, her heart belongs to Virginia opossums. 💖🐾 How it all began:� Linda says she’s always been a wildlife rehabber at heart — even as a kid, she was bringing home orphaned animals, long before she knew it was an actual title. Favorite Case?� A brave opossum named Maggie. Maggie came to Linda after being shot twice, with a bullet lodged in her spine and her body covered in maggots. Despite it all, Maggie was gentle and trusting, letting Linda bathe and care for her. One sunny afternoon, while enjoying some fresh air in a puppy playpen, Maggie made a daring escape! She vanished for three weeks, only to reappear in Linda’s backyard — thinner, but alive and well. Today, Maggie has a forever home thanks to Linda’s love and care. ❤️ At Home:� Linda’s household is just as lively — she lives with Ava, a 2½-year-old foster fail pup, four chickens, and one duck! Why She Loves WWI:� “The camaraderie and compassion. I love how we look out for each other, praise one another, and support each other through it all.” Her Favorite Part of Rehab:� “Nursing an orphan or near-death animal back to health, and seeing them strong, wild, and free again.” If She Could Be Any Animal:� A bird — because she’s always dreamed of flying. 🐦✨ Linda is an executive board member for WWI and an incredible mentor! She’s spoken at the North Carolina veterinary conference and the wildlife symposium sharing her expertise through lectures and workshops. She frequently hosts opossum wheel workshops or den box building gatherings for her fellow rehabbers because she’s a huge advocate for proper environmental enrichment (Honorable mention to her husband Sam for his assistance with these!). Let’s give Linda a big thank you for all the compassion and care she brings to our wild neighbors! 👏💚 #WildlifeRehabberSpotlight #OpossumAdvocate #WWIFamily #BecauseTheyMatter #WildlifeWelfare (fb)

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