NEW ORLEANS (NewsNation) — The Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries confiscated a Louisiana man’s pet opossum, and now he’s fighting in court for their reunification.
William Voiles was approved for an emotional support animal certificate by doctors; but now, it’s up to the state wildlife department to accept it. Voiles said he has been devastated since his pet opossum named Saffron was taken from him.
State confiscates Saffron
“It’s hard for me to put into words how I feel. I’ve been feeling so bad lately,” Voiles said Thursday on “Morning in America.” “The depression I’ve been going through, it’s been getting real, real bad lately.”
William’s pet opossum was confiscated by Wildlife and Fisheries agents three months ago in the French Quarter because having exotic animals without a license is illegal.
It’s not just the state Voiles is fighting — the city of New Orleans has its own ordinance against owning an opossum as a pet. Voiles will need to get city approval first for the state to even look at his case.
Voiles told NewsNation that he didn’t realize it was illegal for him to have Saffron as a pet. When he found Saffron, the opossum’s mother had gotten hit by a car. Saffron was on top of her, so young that only one of his eyes was partially open.
Voiles: Opossum is family, not just a pet
“The first thing he saw when he opened his eyes were me, two dogs and a rabbit. He’s known us for the whole year that he’s been alive,” Voiles said. “I have been taking care of him. He’s healthy. I don’t see why it’s against the law to do a humane thing for an animal.”
Voiles has garnered a ton of support from the community, so far receiving more than 12,500 signatures for a petition to get Saffron back.
“I want to get Saffron back so bad. We are hoping we can get enough signatures on the petition,” Voiles said.
But it’s been a long road for Voiles. He had a court hearing Monday to face a judge after being issued a citation for owning a wild animal without a permit. .
The judge is expected to decide next month at a June 11 hearing if Voiles will face fines, but at the heart of the matter, it is still unknown if he will ever get Saffron back.
“I need the state to get on my side,” he said.
He says he’s also been told that Saffron was taken to Louisiana State University’s Biology Department, but he isn’t certain where the opossum is actually being held.
NewsNation affiliate WGNO contributed to this report.