Opossum found in Wyoming believed to have hitched a ride on a semi

June 17 (UPI) -- Animal control officials in Wyoming said a non-native opossum found hiding under a house likely hitched a ride on a semi truck from another state.

The Sweetwater County Sheriff's Office said in a news release that Animal Control Officer Chris Thomas responded to the Western Hills neighborhood, west of Rock Springs, after a resident reported spotting an opossum under his house.

Opossums, the only marsupial native to the United States, are not generally found as far northwest as Wyoming, the sheriff's office said.

Thomas, who nicknamed the opossum George, said she does not believe the male opossum to be an escaped pet.

"Rather, possums often seek refuge in dark, tight spaces, and she believes it most likely that George hitched a ride on a semi on the interstate and probably went looking for food when the rig's driver stopped to rest or for fuel," the news release said.

Thomas personally cared for George until she was able to find a licensed rehabilitation center. The sheriff's office said the facility will have George examined by a veterinarian and transferred to an area of the country where opossums are found in the wild.