Warning to leave seals alone after pup left in bag on beach overheats

Unless you are trained to interact with wild animals, then you should steer well clear and let the experts handle it, no matter how well-meaning you are.

That’s because if you haven’t had the training, then you won’t know the best way of handling the animal – and both parties could end up injured, or worse.

While it seems pretty obvious for some, to others it’s not – which has left the RSCPA having to issue a plea for people to leave seals alone if they find them sick or injured on the beach.

The charity took to Twitter to warn people of the dangers of interfering with wild animals after they found a baby seal which someone had left in a dumpy bag on a beach in Whitby.

Someone had picked the pup up and placed it in the bag, causing the animal to overheat – a life-threatening condition for them.

The animal welfare charity urged well-meaning members of the public to give seals a wide berth, even if they find them injured.

They instead insisted that people should call the experts instead and let them handle the situation the best they can – after all, seals can give a nasty bite.

RSPCA Frontline tweeted: ‘If you find a sick/injured #seal, please call us but leave well alone!

‘The safest place for them to wait for us is on the beach. A pup in #Whitby was picked up & left in a dumpy bag, causing it to overheat, which is life threatening.

‘They also give a nasty bite.’

The charity says seal pups will often be left by themselves from around three weeks old, so people should monitor the animals from a safe distance for around 24 hours first before doing anything.

If the mother doesn’t return after 24 hours, or the pup looks sick or injured, then please contact the RSPCA – do not interact with the animal yourself.

A spokesman for the RSCPA told Metro.co.uk: ‘Seals can give a nasty bite so we would advise anyone who finds an injured seal to contact us on 0300 1234 999 and monitor them from a distance until one of our officers, who are specially trained in handling seals, attends.

‘It is upsetting to see any injured animal and we understand people’s good intentions to rescue animals in need, however we would recommend that the best course of action would be to contact us, follow any advice given by the call-handler at our control centre and continue monitoring the animal until we arrive to rescue them.’