What to do if you find a Seal

Although finding a seal that is sick or injured is not perhaps something you expect to find, if you live or often spend time on the coast where seals may be present, it is worth knowing what to do in such a situation. Seals have been known to frequently become tangled in fishing line and this can be lethal to a seal, causing a slow and painful death.

It is worth being aware that a young seal may sometimes be left by their mothers for short periods whilst they go off to fish, if the pup is touched by either a human, or a pet dog if you have one, then it may be rejected by the mother upon her return. If you know you are in an area that has seals and you have a dog, make sure that you always keep it on a lead.

Only if the pup has been visibly abandoned for a long period of time should you call the appropriate authorities and report it. Other signs that a pup or seal may be poorly are if it looks to be visibly wounded or bleeding, if it looks thin and sickly, if it is sneezing or has discharge around the eyes and if the seals breathing seems heavy and laboured.

In many cases the seal will be taken to either the nearest seal sanctuary that specialises in rehabilitating seals or to the nearest wildlife sanctuary.

You must always remember that whilst seals and pups may look harmless they can have a vicious bite and may also carry diseases so you should always keep your distance and never attempt to catch the seal yourself.

There are plenty of organisations that specialise in the rescuing of seals who would be only too pleased to help, so if you are ever unsure then you should ring someone who can come and check.