It was a Saturday morning just like all the rest. Carrie Lapalm and her husky, Luna went to walk along a beach near Comox on Vancouver Island.
As Lapalm found a log to sit on, drink her coffee and journal, as per her usual routine, Luna started to react to something in the seaweed.
âLuna began jumping back at something in the seaweed like there was something alive. I thought maybe it was a fish or an injured bird. I wasnât giving it too much attention, but she continued to sit beside it and not move so I figured Iâd better go have a peek,â shared Lapalm.
When Lapalm went to investigate what was happening with Luna, she discovered a seal pup - at most four or five days old. It had an injured eye and Lapalm did not see another seal anywhere around.
Lapalm reached out to the Vancouver Aquarium Marine Mammal Rescue Centre who then contacted MARS Wildlife Rescue to come and grab the seal pup.
The rescue was going to take a couple of hours so Lapalm returned Luna to home while she and a few neighbours watched over the seal pup. Ravens, vultures and eagles had started to circle the area.
The seal pup was then brought closer to shore. He was flown through Harbour Air to the Marine Animal Rescue Centre where they named him Mashed Potato.
The Centre has been giving Lapalm regular updates about Mashed Potato, including a link to follow with his progress and donate to his recovery costs.
Mashed Potatoâs progress can be seen here: .
Lapalm is thankful to Luna and her keen observation skills. It could have been a much worse outcome for Mashed Potato if Luna hadnât alerted Lapalm to the seal pup in distress.
