First seal pup rescue of 2025 ‘Swish’ found painfully thin with pneumonia at Petit Port - we really need help #BIGBUILD

On Saturday the GSPCA were called out to Petit Port to a report sick seal pup.

The team arrived to find a 17kg female pup which is extremely thin suffering with pneumonia which has been called Swish and is recovering in our intensive care unit at the GSPCA that will very soon be rebuilt so some challenges ahead.

The GSPCA recently announced the release of Roar and California Girl back to the wild rescued last year and this is the first seal rescue of 2025 and is a very late pup for the season.

To see VT’s of the seals and our work please visit https://youtube.com/shorts/1EuW3XU87wQ?feature=share  

Geoff George Head of Marinee Mammals said “Saturday we rescued the first sick grey seal pup of 2025.”

“She is only 17kgs so about a third of the weight she should be for her age and suffering with pneumonia.”

“She was found at Petit Port and is needing around the clock care at the GSPCA.”

“She has been called Swish and is the only pup in our care as only a couple of weeks ago we released the last two pups.”

“Roar and California Girl who were rescued the end of last year and when rescued were only 15kgs, very dehydrated, thin, had infections and full of worms at a similar age of a month or so old have today been released back to the wild.”

“It was a stunning day and it is what we do what we do to  see wild animals back where they belong.”

“It is not easy caring for such sick seal pups when they arrive needing 24 hour care and without us these pups wouldn’t be alive today.”

“Both pups had roughly quadrupled their weight from when we rescued and we are hopeful that Swish will improve each day and will of course keep everyone updated.”

Steve Byrne GSPCA Manager said “Geoff and the team have did such an incredible job caring for Roar and California Girl.”

“Both seal pups were so close to perishing when rescued and needed around the clock care.”

“We love to see wild animals back where they belong and since 2012 we have helped get 43 grey seal pups back into Guernsey and Jersey waters.”

“It was a wonderful release once again, but we never know when the call will come in for the next one.”

“Swish is the first grey seal pup to be recued in Guernsey in 2025 which has come at a challenging time as we are about to start our #BIGBUILD in the coming months and been preparing for what is a much needed new facility.”

“Saying this we have to continue our 24/7 work and poorly pups like Swish will continue to need our help and care.”

“Swish was so painfully thin and so unwell but she has made it through the weekend thanks to Geoff and our incredible team at the GSPCA, but she has a long road to recovery.”

“We are due to knock down our current seal facilities to build new so we did reach out to the RSPCA to see if they could help.”

“Although they did help us pre 2012 they have informed us that for a number of reasons from large numbers of seal pups in their care already to other concerns they won’t be in a position to help us for the foreseeable future so we are now looking at other options to help the seal pups needing our care while the build takes place.”

“As we have our preferred builders we are now in negotiations with we are hopeful for a quick turn around for Swish ahead of the new build but we are reaching out to anyone who thinks they can help with certainly this and next years seal pup rehab.”

“Some of the current wildlife building have started to come down and although we have areas for triaging the seal pups but it is the pool stage we will not have and this is when we get the weight and fitness into each pup to ready for the wild.”

“We are looking at options but anyone that think they could help we would love to hear from them.”

“We are coming to the end of the years seal pup season, but we do have lots of details online on what to do if you do see a seal in trouble, but the easiest is just call 257261.”

“In the 12 years we have now released 43 back into local waters.”

“We are very busy at this time of year with wildlife and are now very close to selecting a building firm for the new Wildlife Hospital so it is highly this season of seals we are looking for help in the UK for their rehab while the build takes place but we will of course stabilise them here.”

“This will be the BIGGEST Build in our history and we really need your support and to find out more please visit https://www.gspca.org.gg/blog/gspca-biggest-build-appeal .”

There are many ways to help us help the seal pups and their future and here are a few ideas –

• Donate to their care https://giving.gg/donate/charity/2/Guernsey-Society-for-the-Prevention-of-Cruelty-to-Animals-(GSPCA)
• We are in need of fresh mackerel and herring
• Please support the new Wildlife Hospital to replace the current building https://www.gspca.org.gg/blog/gspca-biggest-build-appeal

If You Spot A Seal Pup

If you find a seal pup that looks FIT AND HEALTHY and it shows no signs of distress, you may consider monitoring it from a safe distance for 24 hours. Unfortunately, too many seal pups get taken into captivity because people think they have been abandoned. If the mother does not return within 24 hours, we would ask you to contact 01481 257261.

A healthy pup looks like a big, stuffed maggot without a neck. However, a thin pup looks sleek (but not bony) and has a visible neck, like a healthy dog.

PLEASE DO NOT TOUCH THE SEAL. They can give a nasty bite, which will become infected by bacteria that live in a seal’s mouths.

Note: Do not allow dogs or other animals to harass a seal.

If a seal is scared back into the water, it could then be washed out to sea by strong currents and be lost. You should not put a seal pup back in the sea as it may get into difficulty.

If a seal pup is sick, thin or injured then we would ask you to contact our 24-hour cruelty and advice line

When reporting an injured, sick or abandoned seal to the GSPCA, please make sure you are able to supply the following information:

• Exact location; nearest town / village
• Position on the beach, and state of the tide
• How long you have observed the pup; any disturbance / risk to it; whether the mother has been seen
• Any wounds / obvious signs of illness
• Length/colour/condition.

Caution:- Handling of any animal either domestic, wild, dead or alive may be potentially hazardous. Obvious dangers include bites, scratches and general hygiene issues. Common sense should be applied in all instances and, if unsure, seek additional advice or assistance. Personal hygiene should be taken into consideration after handling any animal, whether it’s domestic, wild, dead or alive.

For any questions please contact 01481 257261

Please remember and keep your animals and pets safe during the high winds, especially those that are kept outdoors.

Here is a table of the seals we have helped back to the wild and those in our care -

To see some of the previous stories about seals please click here http://www.gspca.org.gg/blog/tag/seals .

Some grey seal facts -

• Population numbers since 1960s have doubled
• A grey seal pup weighs 14kg at birth
• A grey seal pup mothers milk contains 60% fat
• Grey seals can dive to a depth of 70m
• Another name for a grey seal is the horsehead seal
• Grey seals are found in the waters surrounding Europe, Russia, North America, and Channel Islands
• Grey seals can be found in estuaries, inter tidal zones, brackish water, polar and shallow seas
• There are 18 known species of seal in the world
• Many sick seal pups need tube feeding every 2-3 hours day and night on arrival
• The seal pups in our care once eating will consume 20-30 herring or mackerel each day
• We aim for a release weight in excess of 40 kg, with good weather and a remote location
• The GSPCA has returned 43 seals back to the wild in the last 13 years

For advice on what to do if you see or find sick or injured wildlife please visit http://www.gspca.org.gg/animals/wildlife-advice or call 01481 257261

To videos of the seal pups and other animals please visit https://www.youtube.com/user/TheGuernseySPCA

Steve continued “To make a donation, find out more or support our BIGGEST BUILD Appeal please check out https://www.gspca.org.gg/blog/biggest-appeal-ever-gspca-big-build-appeal-buy-brick-build-brighter-future-animals-guernsey .”

“There are many ways to support the work of the GSPCA.”

“Our BIGGEST event is our Animal Welfare Seafront Sunday on the 18^th May and for details check out https://www.gspca.org.gg/page/animal-welfare-sea-front-sunday .“

“We have lots of events coming up from being at the shows and to the GSPCA Cupcake Week in May https://www.gspca.org.gg/page/gspca-cupcake-week .”

“To become an Angel Pen Pal Sponsor donating each month to help the hundreds of animals in our care which you can do by downloading this form - http://www.gspca.org.gg/sites/default/files/Angel%20sponsor%20form%20special%202018%20new.pdf or to become a Corporate Angel Pen Pal form for your business to sponsor animals in our care each year please click here http://www.gspca.org.gg/sites/default/files/Corporate%20Angel%20Pen%20Pal%20sponsor%20formnew.pdf .”

“You can also make a donation to help the animals in our care, please go to https://giving.gg/donate/charity/2/Guernsey-Society-for-the-Prevention-of-Cruelty-to-Animals-(GSPCA)  .”

“You can also donate by calling  01481 257261, by post to GSPCA, Rue des Truchots, St Andrews, Guernsey GY6 8UD or popping up to the Shelter in St Andrews.”

"For lots of ways to support our work please visit https://www.gspca.org.gg/page/gspca-celebrating-150-years ."

“To visit our facebook page check out this link please click here .”

“To visit our x page please click here .”

“Thank you for your support.”