Injured seal pup on mend
ANIMAL THOUGHT TO HAVE BEEN ATTACKED BY DOG WILL RECUPERATE FOR 3-4 MONTHS
AN injured seal pup discovered on a beach is thought to have been mauled by a dog.
The male pup, just a month old, had several puncture wounds on his back, thought to be consistent with a dog attack.
He was found on a beach at Pwllheli.
Subsequently nicknamed Twister, he was seriously dehydrated and underweight.
Initially the little pup was taken to Anglesey Sea Zoo in Brynsiencyn, to be treated and fed.
The next day he was transferred to the RSPCA’s
Stapeley Grange Wildlife Centre in Nantwich.
The animal welfare charity is now warning dog owners to keep their pets away from seal pups.
If disturbed, grey seal cows may move away from a pup into the sea and may not return to feed it.
Lee Stewart, manager of Stapeley Grange, said: “Dog walkers should always be vigilant if they walk their dogs near seal hotspots on the Wales coast, especially at this time of year during pupping season.”
As Twister is so young, he will spend several months recuperating.
Mr Stewart said: “Considering his ordeal, Twister is doing well and he’s pretty lively, which is a good sign. We are tube feeding him initially, and he’ll then move on to herring soup before we start giving him whole fish.
“He’ll be with us for around three or four months as he only weighs 14.5kg and he will need to get to around 40kg before he is released.”
Twister will spend the next few weeks in isolation. Once he is feeding for himself, he will be transferred to one of Stapeley’s outside pools with other orphaned seal pups.
He will spend the final few weeks of his rehabilitation at the Welsh Mountain Zoo in Colwyn Bay, which has larger pools, before being released.
If you spot a seal pup that is injured or in distress, and the mother hasn’t returned after 24 hours, or it is on a busy public beach, call the RSPCA’s emergency line on 0300 1234 999.