Luckily for Lucky, it’s time to go home!

Lucky is a weanling male gray seal that stranded late May in Gloucester, MA. He was rescued May 30 by the New England Aquarium and admitted to the National Marine Life Center suffering from alopecia (hair loss) and multiple skin lesions, dehydration, lethargy, a broken toe with exposed bone, and verminous (parasitic) pneumonia. He was a sick little seal!

Click here to read more about Lucky’s admission and first several days.

It was touch and go for several weeks. He remained weak, was not eating, and required tube feeding several times per day in order to receive much needed nutrients and medication. His wounds and abscesses had to be cleaned twice daily with a disinfecting solution (dilute betadine) and hot compresses. And, he received daily injections of antibiotics and pain medication. Despite his debilitation, he was very difficult to handle; he actively fought restraint and attempted to bite anyone who tried to handle – or even approach – him. For many reasons, it was a relief once he started eating fish on his own.

From that point on, Lucky became more active, his wounds started to heal (although he lost the toe), and – in the past two weeks – his fur even started to grow back!

It is with great pleasure that we announce Lucky is ready to be released to his ocean home. We hope you can join us. Here are the details.

What: Seal Release
When: Sunday, July 21, 2013
Time: 6:00 p.m.
Where: Scusset Beach State Reservation, 20 Scusset Beach Road, Sandwich 

This release is free and open to the public!

Even as Lucky prepares to return home, we have more seals in need of your help. They need your support to purchase food and medicine, to provide specialized veterinary care, even to keep the life support systems running on their rehabilitation tank. Please, help return seals like Lucky to their ocean home – Donate today.