Seal pup seriously injured after dog and public seen ‘harassing’ it at Spurn
A seal pup has been left with horrific wounds after it was attacked by a dog on an East Yorkshire beach. A marine rescue group has now issued a plea to dog walkers to make sure their animals and the public leave the pups alone. The pup, who has been given the name Puck, suffered numerous injuries and “extensive puncture wounds” in the attack at Spurn on Sunday.
For the latest headlines and news from East Yorkshire’s beaches, click here. Medics called to the beach to help Puck administered emergency treatment and the pup is said to be doing well, although it is clearly quite shaken by the attack. British Divers Marine Life Rescue (BDMLR) group said they had received reports of a Collie harassing seals on the same day that Puck was attacked.
A spokeswoman for the British Divers Marine Life Rescue (BDMLR) group said that the Out of Hours coordinator was called yesterday (Sunday) to reports of the injured pup at Spurn.
Puck suffered ‘severe injuries’ on the beach in Spurn and is now being treated by specialist vets (Image: British Divers Marine Life Rescue (BDMLR))
Seals are often found at Spurn, she said, and medics have regularly been monitoring the seals on the beach in the last week. Em Mayman, who works for BDMLR said: “The closest medics were asked to check out one particular pup after reports of a dog and public harassing it and the pup had ‘bleeding injuries’. “The medics arrived and found the pup with numerous new wounds and old scrapes.”
She said that the seal that had previously been identified as a healthy first-year juvenile Grey seal only days before.
The seal was uplifted by BDMLR Marine Mammal Medics along with the help of several Yorkshire Wildlife Trust (YWT) members who helped transport the pup back to the rescue vehicles. Ms Mayman said: “It was then transported for urgent emergency veterinary treatment where the stressed pup was sedated and had the extensive puncture wounds treated. It’s now on medication to help it heal in a short term stay unit.”
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Ms Mayman said today (Monday): “So far the seal – now named Puck – is doing okay but is understandably quite sore and traumatised.”
She said that it was the second incident at Spurn that members of the BDMLR were called about on the same day. She said: “The other luckily is okay, but had a collie trying to harass it. The owner reluctantly took the dog away when an onlooker saw what happened and had to intervene to stop the attack.”
The seal pup was found with ‘extensive puncture wounds’ (Image: British Divers Marine Life Rescue (BDMLR))
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You can sign up very simply by following the instructions here Another warning was issued for people to be careful around seal pups if they see the animals on the beach after similar incidents were reported in recent weeks. Ms Mayman said: “If you see a stranded pup on the beach, please give it double the amount of space you may think is necessary and call BDMLR 01825765546 for advice.
They will send a trained Medic to assess the animal. “Keep all dogs, children and other people away and allow it space. Never chase them back into water”
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