April 29, 2025
Our goal with every animal is to rescue, rehabilitate, and release them back into the wild. However, the reality of marine mammal rescue is that not every story ends with release. Sometimes, despite our best efforts, the outcome is not what we hoped for. We recently admitted two patients – Patty and Davis – whose stories ended far too soon. This post is an honest reflection on the side of rescue that we rarely talk about but deserves our acknowledgement.
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When we got the call about a young seal likely struck by a boat, our hearts dropped. She was found on Salt Spring Island by our partners at Island Wildlife Natural Care Centre. With approval from Fisheries and Oceans Canada (DFO), she was flown to our facility within hours.
Patty, as we named her, had severe facial injuries but was alert and even showed interest in food. We gave her pain meds, antibiotics, and took x-rays, which thankfully showed less damage than we originally expected. Surgery was scheduled for the next morning.
With a full team in place, we began the procedure, but her injuries were just too extensive. Sadly, despite everything we did, she didn’t make it.
Patty serves as a stark reminder that vessel strikes are a growing threat to seals, sea lions, and whales. Slowing down in marine mammal habitats, keeping a safe distance, and staying aware on the water can save lives.
Davis, an adult male California sea lion, was reported to us as being lethargic and minimally responsive next to a busy roadway on the Sunshine Coast. That same day, with permission from DFO, we admitted him to our facility, and we could tell that something was seriously wrong.
The following day we sedated him for a comprehensive exam, bloodwork, and ultrasound. During the exam we found a large mass in the area of his sublumbar lymph node, indicative of a cancer commonly found in California sea lions. This finding in combination with his other symptoms resulted in a very poor prognosis. His condition is not one he would’ve been able to recover from, and a decision was made to humanely euthanize him to prevent further suffering.
We don’t only rescue animals we know we can save. Every marine mammal in distress deserves a chance, regardless of their prognosis. Even when the outcome is uncertain, we commit to doing what’s right for the animal, and in some cases what’s right is providing them relief from pain and choosing kindness in their final moments.
Patty and Davis remind us that rescue isn’t just about releases, its about compassion, difficult choices, and advocating for the wellbeing of our patients that can’t speak for themselves.
Their stories fuel our drive to educate, protect, and always respond when marine mammals are in distress – not matter their odds.
If you’d like to support marine mammal rescue and help animals like Patty and Davis, check out our How to Help page.
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