Random Acts of Kindness at the GSPCA - thank you to the secret givers who are kindly taking part
Submitted by Steve on 12:08, 18th Feb, 2016 |
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At the GSPCA often the focus of our work is the thousands of animals we help every year.
We couldn't do this without the amazing team of staff, volunteers, placements and supporters.
On average every week 90 to 100 volunteers and placements help from giving as little as an hour to some even 7 days a week.
This is also over a 24 hour period as without our wonderful Volunteer Wardens Matt, Jen, Anna, Paul, Michelle, Suzy, Natalie, Steve, Sarah, Geoff and Dave we couldn't provide the emergency night cover in our ambulance.
With 17 staff and over 600 volunteers helping at the GSPCA we are blessed to have such amazing support and this morning those helping received a Random Act of Kindness.
In fact a number of Random Acts of Kindness have been spotted around the GSPCA today with bars of chocolate to gluten free biscuits.
In fact every volunteer and staff member in today has received a Random Act of Kindness and also a few that are off have gifts left for them around site.
At break time over coffee a few of the team said some general thank you's hoping it reached the kind giver.
Kevin Beausire GSPCA staff member who received some Cadbury Mini Eggs said "Thank you to the kind Easter Bunny for my chocolates."
Bridget Henley a GSPCA Volunteer who also got Mini Eggs left in the staff room said "How kind, thank you."
Helen Holmes GSPCA Staff Member who received gluten free chocolate biscuits said "Ooo, my second random act of kindness how lovely thank you."
Alex Miller GSPCA Volunteer said who also got Mini Eggs "I think it is fantastic and they are very tasty, thank you very much."
Steve Byrne GSPCA Manager who found a bar of Swiss Chocolate on his desk said "What a wonderful idea the Random Acts of Kindness Week is."
"It is wonderful that we have such an amazing community here in Guernsey and we've seen lots of the posts on facebook from flowers on cars to Oliver from Vale Primary who gave his teacher flowers and his class mates chocolate then challenged them to help us here at the GSPCA."
"Thank you to the kind person for the chocolate on my desk and to all getting involved in this wonderful idea and event."
8 days on and Bonnie the seal pup is doing better than we could have hoped http://www.gspca.org.gg/blog/10-days-and-bonnie-seal-pup-doing-better-we-could-have-hoped
The grey seal (Halichoerus grypus, meaning "hooked-nosed sea pig") is found on both shores of the North Atlantic Ocean. It is a large seal of the family Phocidae or "true seals". It is the only species classified in the genus Halichoerus. Its name is spelled gray seal in the US; it is also known as Atlantic grey seal and the horsehead seal
Grey seal adults may be up to 2.5 metres in length and weigh up to 250kg, with males tending to be larger than females.
Previous seal pups rescued Jethou Bumblebee was 17kg on entry and Hanois 20kg, Eden 18kg and Trinity 15kg which was less than half the 40kg they should have been for their age with Bonnie only 14kg.
Male grey seals reach sexual maturity at 6 years, Females at 3 to 5 years and the latter give birth to their pups in the Autumn and early Winter.
Typically the first British pups are born off the Scillies and Cornwall in August and September and the time of pupping is progressively later as you move clockwise around the British Isles, the latest pups being born off the east coast of Scotland in late December.
All seal pups rescued locally were born early November to late December.
At, birth, grey seal pups weigh about 13 kg. and are covered in long, creamy white hair. A bond is formed between mother and pup at birth, and a mother can recognise her pup from its call and smell. For the first 3 weeks of their lives, pups rarely swim, suckling from their mothers 5 to 6 times a day, for up to 10 minutes at a time. The mothers milk is rich in fat and the pups rapidly put on weight.
The seal pups rescued have all been around two to three weeks when they were brought into the GSPCA.
The mother tends to remain just offshore between suckling bouts and rarely feeds, losing up to a quarter of her body weight before her pup is weaned.
Grey seal pups are weaned after losing their baby coat at 3 to 4 weeks of age. At this point, they weigh 40 to 50 kg; three times their birth weight.
The pups live off these fat reserves whilst learning to feed, which may take several weeks.
The adult females which are called cows become fertile soon after weaning their pups, mating with the adult males which are called bulls, who hold territories during the breeding season and may mate with over half a dozen cows.
Mating can take place on land or in water and pregnancy last for 11.5 months, there being a period of 3.5 months when the fertilised embryo does not attached to the wall of the uterus and its development is arrested ("delayed implantation"). As a result, pups are born at the same time each year.
Grey seals moult annually in the spring, 3 to 5 months, after the end of the breeding season.
In the wild, males may live for about 25 years, females for about 35 years.
We will of course keep you up to date with Bonnie's progress and keep your eyes open for pictures and videos.
If anyone see's a pup with or without a mum we really do appreciate a call so that we are aware of its location and condition but here is some advice.
A healthy pup looks like a big, stuffed maggot without a neck. However, a thin pup looks sleek (but not bony) and has a visible neck, like a healthy dog.
PLEASE DO NOT TOUCH THE SEAL. They can give a nasty bite, which will become infected by bacteria that live in a seal’s mouths.
Note: Do not allow dogs or other animals to harass a seal.
If a Seal is scared back into the water, it could then be washed out to sea by strong currents and be lost. You should not put a seal pup back in the sea as it may get into difficulty.
If a Seal pup is sick, thin or injured then we would ask you to contact the GSPCA immediately on 01481 257261 day or night
When reporting an injured, sick or abandoned seal to the GSPCA, please make sure you are able to supply the following information:
Exact location; nearest town / village
Position on the beach, and state of the tide
How long you have observed the pup; any disturbance / risk to it; whether the mother has been seen
Any wounds / obvious signs of illness
Length/colour/condition.
Caution:- Handling of any animal either domestic, wild, dead or alive may be potentially hazardous. Obvious dangers include bites, scratches and general hygiene issues. Common sense should be applied in all instances and, if unsure, seek additional advice or assistance. Personal hygiene should be taken into consideration after handling any animal, whether it’s domestic, wild, dead or alive.
To see some of the previous stories follow the links below
Extremely sick and weak Grey Seal Pup rescued at Corbier now at the GSPCAhttp://www.gspca.org.gg/blog/extremely-sick-and-weak-grey-seal-pup-rescued-corbier-now-gspca
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