A man in New Orleans lonesome for an opossum named Saffron, whom he had raised as a pet and dressed in a colorful sweater, is appealing to authorities to return the animal, which was taken from him by state wildlife officials. Thousands have backed an online petition to reunite the man with his marsupial. A friend’s petition on Change.org to bring Saffron home had garnered nearly 4,000 signatures by Wednesday afternoon. In an interview on Wednesday, Mr. Voiles, 50, said he and his friends were appealing to law enforcement, biologists, veterinarians, online supporters and even Gov. Saffron formed part of a menagerie, including one rabbit and two dogs, all named after spices, that Mr. Voiles wheeled around New Orleans on a tricycle with a basket and a trailer.

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Persons: Saffron, William Voiles, Voiles, Jeff Landry of Locations: New Orleans, Jeff Landry of Louisiana