Cape Town - One of Hout Bay’s beloved and internationally known seal, Mr Brown, was humanely euthanised on Wednesday morning.
A tripartite statement issued by the Department of Forestry, Fisheries and the Environment, Hout Bay Seal Rescue and the Cape of Good Hope SPCA said its officials alongside a veterinarian, humanely euthanised Mr Brown.
It said a local Hout Bay resident, commonly known as Prof Joe, had been feeding Mr Brown for the past 22 years.
He found Mr Brown as a young seal, less than a year old and formed a strong bond with him.
According to authorities, Prof Joe has been with Mr Brown every day for the past 22 years.
“The 22-year-old seal struggled with poor mobility and impaired eyesight in his advanced age. A few months ago, the seal was involved in an accident with a reversing truck which further exacerbated his poor mobility. Since the accident, the seal could no longer move freely and was in a great deal of pain and discomfort,” it said.
An independent veterinarian was monitoring the seal for the past few months and his condition continued to deteriorate.
“Both the Cape of Good Hope SPCA and Hout Bay Seal Rescue continued to monitor the seal during this period. At this point, his feeder, Prof Joe was also getting very concerned about the seal’s health and approached the Hout Bay Seal Rescue to assist with ending the seal’s suffering,” it said.
The decision to euthanise Mr Brown was not made easily and discussions between all relevant authorities concluded that euthanasia was the best solution.
Prof Joe was also consulted and he agreed Mr Brown was suffering and the only solution was euthanasia.
While all stakeholders empathise with the loss of Mr Brown, they have reminded the public that feeding seals and or any wildlife is strictly prohibited by law.
Any person who feeds or exploits a photo opportunity involving seals will be liable to prosecution and/or a hefty fine.
IOL