When you picture a seal, you don’t normally think of the aquatic animal sitting in the middle of a town. A veterinary clinic in Scotland had to come to the rescue of a young seal when it somehow made its way from a harbor to the center of the town.
The seal pup was first spotted in the harbor area of Stonehaven but was ushered back to the water relatively quickly. The next day, curiosity got the better of the animal as it returned to land and wandered all the way to the center of the town.
The seal was taken in by personnel from Kirkton Veterinary Centre. “We think it’s a boy,” veterinarian Emma Thompson said. “He’s very underweight and ended up in the middle of town probably just looking for some food. He probably just got confused and lost. But he’s a bright wee thing.”
The seal has since been rehydrated and will now be taken to the Scottish SPCA rescue center in Fishcross for its rehabilitation.
“If people find a seal on the beach, most of the time they are just hauled out to rest and you need to leave them be! Don’t allow children or dogs to approach as they are wild animals and will bite if they feel threatened,” Thompson said.
The veterinarian reiterated that anyone who suspects a seal or other animal might be injured should call the Scottish SPCA, the British Divers Marine Life Rescue or their local veterinarian. Moving the animal themselves could be dangerous for anyone involved.
“Young seals are often left on the beach by their mums too — or tucked away in the rocks — and if you disturb them too much the mum might not be able to find them again,” Thompson said. “We picked up this one because he was in the middle of High Street and too underweight to survive on his own.”