Vancouver police help rescuers reach seal pup on Bowen Island

A week-old harbour seal pup found alone and distressed on Bowen Island has been taken in for treatment after the Vancouver Police Department helped transport rescue technicians to the site.

The Vancouver Aquarium Marine Mammal Rescue Society requested urgent VPD assistance at about 5 p.m. Tuesday after a visitor spotted the pup at Seymour Bay near Cowan Point. The VPD Marine Unit vessel Larry Young took three veterinary technicians to the area, where they secured the newborn female at 6:50 p.m.

Police said the pup appeared to have been abandoned and has been named “Canadian Bacon.” It was taken to the rescue society’s aquarium facility, and rescuers are cautiously optimistic it can return to the wild in a few months.

Authorities note that harbour seal mothers often leave pups on shore to rest during pupping season. People who see a pup should stay well back, keep dogs leashed and not attempt a rescue; sightings can be reported to VAMMR at 604-258-7325.