GSPCA hospital concern as third seal pup of 2025 rescued

An animal charity in Guernsey has expressed a need for help after the rescue of its third seal pup of 2025 while it plans building a new wildlife hospital.

The Guernsey Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (GSPCA) said members were called out on 3 April to a poorly grey seal at Chouet headland.

It said the pup was just over 20kg (44lb) – about half the weight for his age – and had been named Dark Horse.

The GSPCA, which is planning to knock down its current seal facilities to build the hospital, said it was looking for options to aid pups while the build took place, including help from the UK. It added that pups would be stabilised in Guernsey before they were sent elsewhere.

Dark Horse has joined two other seals which were rescued in March, now named Swish and Fireworks.

Head of marine mammals Geoff George said Dark Horse was dehydrated and had really bad diarrhoea when found.

“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,” he said.

GSPCA manager Steve Byrne said: “All three pups are improving daily.

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

He said the RSPCA was unable to help due to a large numbers of seal pups in its care already.

He added: “We are now looking at other options to help the seal pups needing our care while the build takes place.

“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.”

He added that for “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.”