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Seal Sitters mourn another pup

September 28, 2007 8:01 am
|      9 COMMENTS
 |   How to help | Wildlife

Received late last night from Brenda Peterson of the Seal Sitters:

     After heroic efforts by Robin, Joanie, Jane, Marci and many others, the seal pup on the boat ramp these past two days was rescued by NOAA and taken off the beach by Animal Control who promptly delivered him to PAWS rehab workers to stabilize her. The plan was to take her to Wolf Hollow rehab in Friday Harbor by a plane donated by someone. But upon examination at PAWS they realized this pup had terrible systemic infections and abscesses throughout her body and would never recover. Mercifully, she was euthanized. But PAWS said we did the right thing to campaign so hard to get her removed from the beach and medical attention because her infections would have meant a long, slow death. This is the second pup in a week we’ve sat over and lost and it is very difficult for us all.

There is consolation in knowing that out of the 30-odd pups we’ve watched over on Alki, we’ve only lost about 4 that we know of  and so we’ve helped launch a whole new generation of pups this season. There was also a seal sitter this morning who wondrously witnessed the birth of a pup; and the pup we’ve been watching for the past week is still robust and healthy.

As the rains begin, there will be fewer risks to these resting pups on the beach from people, though dogs off leash are still a big concern. Thanks so much for all of you who have given your energy, time, and compassion to these fellow creatures who share our shores. Somehow I do think the seals realize that Alki Beach is full of good neighbors.

Brenda also attached a Seal Sitters flyer. We’ve uploaded it so you can take a look. Worth your time even just for the photo; click here.

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9 Replies to "Seal Sitters mourn another pup"

  • Thomas September 28, 2007 (9:54 am)

    “…who wondrously witnessed the birth of a pup”

    I think you maybe mean “witnessed the wondrous birth of a pup”? It’s the birth that’s impressive; anyone can witness it.

    “Wondrously witnessed” means “witnessed extremely well”, as if she was a really skillful, professional witness.

  • Seabird September 28, 2007 (10:22 am)

    Wow. Someone may have missed the point here.

  • Jumbojim September 28, 2007 (11:40 am)

    The off-leash dogs certainly are a concern. A seal pup has no way of telling a distant “good dog” from a distant “bad dog”. They really don’t need any additional stresses. Hard enough contending with life in the chemical soup we call Puget Sound these days.

  • Katherine September 28, 2007 (12:40 pm)

    Thomas, I suspect Brenda means “feeling full of wonder, witnessed the birth of a pup.” I’d certainly feel full of wonder and awe at being allowed such a privilege.

  • The Velvet Bulldog September 28, 2007 (3:15 pm)

    Careful Thomas, I think that’s my mum the English Major whose grammatically-correct attention you’ve caught!

  • WSB September 28, 2007 (3:29 pm)

    Though we write rather colloquially here on the blog, and really could stand to have an editor’s help from time to time, we are grammar/spelling nitpickers ourselves, but will rise to Brenda’s defense here. (And not just because she is a well-known published author — we first encountered her at a NW writers’ conference more than a decade ago, but did not realize until recently that she is based in WS.) The adverb does not necessarily have to refer to the subject. We read this more as (who, wondrously, witnessed …) — and the thought of a seal-sitting volunteer being graced with the chance to witness sealbirth IS wondrous, in our view!!! Thrilled to see a grammar discussion here, however. In this day and age, that is kind of wondrous too.

  • JD September 28, 2007 (8:04 pm)

    I think Thomas should become a seal sitter since he has so much time on his hands to critique those who are doing a good deed.

  • westseattledood September 28, 2007 (9:16 pm)

    WOW! If Ms. Peterson thinks that only 4 seals have been known to have died out of around 30 total, isn’t that an incredibly high survival rate? Isn’t 50% survival considered the average? Or am I making that up?

    I heart good grammar, but I don’t think I ever have seen errors on WSB’s site. You guys are kind of irritatingly perfect like that. ;)

  • k September 29, 2007 (9:23 am)

    all i want to say (note i am not capitalizing my email), that brenda and her volunteers are wonderful! great job on all they are doing and continue to do! thanks all! kudos on taking your personal time to help those little seals.

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