I have tons of Possum pix because we have at least one possum family on the property every year. When we had the big 120+ lb Shep/Lab mix, after he learned his territory and we'd turned off the fence, leaving him to believe it was still working...
...he would roust our resident possum, Petey, almost nightly. Petey got rousted, played dead, and was rescued by us humans so often that he quickly learned we'd be there momentarily, and felt safe with us. We found this out one night after he'd been rousted when I simply grabbed the big dog by his collar, and DH said to Petey, "It's okay now...you're safe." Petey opened one eye, looked around, saw we were holding the dog, got up, and lumbered off into the woods, but looked back over his shoulder as if to say "thanks, again" as he was leaving. Reminded me of Eyore in Winnie the Pooh...and was very hilarious to watch.
In all the almost 20 years of resident Petey, Paulie, and Pauline and Pattie possum families on the property, we have yet to have any issues, serious or otherwise, between the pets and the possums. Now, between the possums and the raccoons that trek through looking for food...and the one raccoon family that thinks its a good place to live near and visit often and will come to the door begging for kibble, it appears the possums yield to the raccoons same as they've all done with the big dog...although I've not
seen one play dead for a raccoon yet. Regardless, if there's a ruckus outside, I run out hollering for them all to 'cut it out right now or else' even though I have no idea what my 'or else' might be !!!