marine mammal rescue and response

Wish Granted for Gray!

Recently World Vets had the opportunity to bring seal enthusiast Grayson “Gray” and his family on a South Sound marine naturalist expedition! Gray is an amazing and wonderful kid who is bravely battling brain cancer.  He loves seals more than anything and he and his family recently visited Gig Harbor to spend quality time together with hopes of seeing some seals. Since we are regularly out helping seals (and lots of other marine mammals!) around the Salish Sea, the community reached out to us and got us connected to see if we could help grant a wish.

Two days later the weather was perfect and our CEO Dr Cathy King set out with Gray and his family on an adventure to see and learn about seals in the wild. Together we were able to view hundreds of harbor seals and sea lions in their natural habitat. Gray even spotted a white harbor seal that matched his eye patch, which he named Snowy (pictured below). Gray said it was the best day ever and gave it an 11 out of 10.  It was an 11 out of 10 for us too.

Gray’s interest and compassion towards marine mammals was truly an inspiration to the World Vets team. We’re all pulling for you Gray!  Best kid ever.

World Vets is an international veterinary aid organization based in Gig Harbor, Washington.  With programs in over 45 countries on six continents, World Vets works to bring veterinary services to underserved areas if the world by providing direct veterinary care to animals, disaster response services for major international disasters, veterinary training and education programs and long-term capacity building that improves the lives of animals, people and the communities in which they live.  Our programs benefit a wide variety of animals in a global scale including companion animals, working horses, livestock, wildlife and street dogs.

In the Pacific Northwest, World Vets work focuses on improving the health and welfare of marine wildlife by responding to injured or stranded marine mammals, and working to advance scientific knowledge an understanding to help protect and conserve the region’s critical marine ecosystem.  Learn more HERE.

Rescue of Harbor Seal Pup in Washington

 top

Seal pup season is in full swing in Washington. This past weekend World Vets cared for this harbor seal pup that was brought to us by Washington Department of Fish & Wildlife (WDFW). This abandoned pup, too young to survive on its own, was picked up by WDFW on the Washington coast after being harassed by beachgoers. Before being picked up, it was monitored for >48 hours by WDFW volunteers and unfortunately it was determined that the mom was not returning.

World Vets provided emergency treatment and stabilization for the pup at our marine mammal urgent care clinic in Gig Harbor, Washington working under a permit issued by the National Marine Fisheries Service. World Vets then transferred her to Wolf Hollow Wildlife Rehabilitation Center for rehab where she will remain until she is old enough to survive on her own and can be released back to her home waters. Big thanks to our supporters who help make this important work possible.

World Vets marine mammal work is authorized under a permit with the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) Fisheries and National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS).

If you see a dead, injured or stranded marine mammal, please call and report it to the NOAA West Coast Marine Mammal Stranding Hotline at 1-866-767-6114.

 Scroll to top