Caring and nurturing are two traits that best describe Anna Raiola of Pascagoula whether it is working with foster families or rehabbing wildlife.
Ms. Raiola is a foster parent liaison for child protective services with the State of Mississippi. She is also a professional photographer who enjoys being outdoors hiking, walking on the beach, sitting around a fire pit or helping orphaned squirrels and possums.
Recently she found a way to combine her work life and hobbies into a rewarding side job of wildlife rehabber at her home that she now calls “Possum Cove.”
“I got involved with rehabbing possums in April of 2023” she said. “Prior to that, when I found orphaned squirrels or possums I would reach out to Wild at Heart Rescue and bring them to Judy Roe, who is a wildlife rehabber with the rescue and lives near me.:
Each time she rescued an animal, she wondered if rehabbing was something she could do herself. And now she knows.
“I thought to myself, I could do this one day,” she said. “That opportunity came on April 3 of 2023 when I spotted a baby possum in the parking lot of a business near my home.”
That is when she asked to join the team of rehabbers, and her wish was granted.
“I picked the little possum up from Judy the next day, which I named Josie, and that is how I started my journey as a wildlife rehabber,” Ms. Raiola said. “I have expanded my rehabbing species to include raccoons as well as possums.”
She was Italy where her father was Italian and served in the Italian Merchant Marines. Her parents met in New Jersey where her father was stationed. She moved to the USA when she was three and to Mississippi in 1984.
graduated from The University of Southern Mississippi with a bachelor’s in psychology which is how she found her way to working with foster parents.
“I love working with foster parents,” she said. “They are amazing.”
The drawback to being a rehabber is the emotional attachment gained for the wildlife in her care. But that also comes with happy tears seeing wildlife back in their natural environment.
My favorite experience as a wildlife rehabber, so far, happened in March of this year,” she said. “We did a big release of nine raccoons that we raised since the summer of 2025.”
There were 13 raccoons released that day that has been in the care of a rehabber for close to a year. Together with other rehabbers, they watched as the critters were returned to the wild.
“It was emotional for sure,” she said. “Happy tears were shed as we watched them explore and frolic around heading into the wilderness where they belong. Those experiences are priceless.”
