Mr. Ilja Leonard Pfeijffer’s column in the NRC contains factually false information and was unfortunately not verified with us in advance.
We regret that such lies were published.
Unfortunately, there are people such as Mr. Pfeijffer who claim that the seals we catch are not ill.
The truth is that we never go to the Wadden Sea to catch or search for seals.
We work with a large group of volunteers (our Seal First-Aid Team). When we receive a call about a seal in need of help, the volunteer closest to the spot will go and check out whether help is actually needed.
Often, they see that nothing is amiss and they will leave the animal in peace. Animals are only taken to Pieterburen when they are in real trouble.
Once, volunteers travelled to a group of seals because an animal was caught in a large net lying on a sandbank.
The animal was cut loose and released immediately. (See the report on our website)
The SRRC is a professionally equipped rehabilitation centre for seals who are in trouble through whatever reason and who are found in need of help along the Dutch and Wadden Islands’ coasts. High quality medical aid is given to sick, wounded and/or orphaned seals with the goal to release these animals back to their natural habitat after their recovery.
The SRRC is foremost a hospital that only rehabilitates sick, wounded and orphaned seals, which have washed up along the shore.
Of course, the fact that we get many visitors who appreciate our work is great, but it is not our main objective.
We would rather have as few seals as possible, but the reality is that we get around 250 seals a year needing our help.
If we wanted to earn money over the heads of our seals, we should have been a zoo from the start.
Because breeding animals is very popular with the crowds. (Think of the polar bear Knut.)
Luckily, our society still has people who are not busy with making money off animals, but who put the animals first, without looking out for their own financial interests.
We are very proud that we do not fall under the government’s zoo legislation and that we consider animal emergency relief and animal welfare very highly.
As a matter of fact, all animals are released back to sea within 2 to six months, and if you ask us that is where they belong!
10-09-2008 Source: SRRC Lenie 't Hart
