‘They steal your heart’: The woman who has dedicated her life to rescuing baby squirrels

Paula Perry, known to locals as ‘the squirrel lady’, has helped rehabilitate more than 70 of the vulnerable creatures. Sydney Page finds out what makes her tick

Paula Perry became a wildlife rehabilitator in 2010 (Paula Perry)

Paula Perry has a multi-page spreadsheet titled “Squirrels”, which details the health and wellness of tiny, injured baby squirrels she keeps in her house. She names each one: Carlos, Lola, Hazel, Huey and Dewie.

Perry has kept meticulous notes on the more than 70 struggling baby squirrels she has rescued and rehabilitated over the past 13 years at her home in Moss Point, Mississippi.