He was so far from home …
Published on May 28, 2025 at 3:32 PM
This week, residents of Gordon’s Bay, South Africa, found someone shocking lumbering down their suburban street. The visitor was hard to miss — his enormous frame quite literally stopped traffic.
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Onlookers quickly contacted the Cape of Good Hope SPCA and told them the news. There was an elephant seal in their neighborhood, and he needed help.
Southern elephant seals are the largest seals on Earth and one of the largest mammals. According to the Antarctic and Southern Ocean Coalition, an adult male elephant seal, like the one found in Gordon’s Bay, can weigh up to 8,800 pounds. These fantastically formidable animals are also known for their thick blubber and the lack of pattern on their coats.
Most southern elephant seals live in the Southern Ocean, off of Antarctica. It’s odd to spot an elephant seal in South Africa and even stranger to see one in suburbia.
“While sightings in South Africa are rare, occasional lone individuals, typically young males, do haul out along our coastline during moulting or rest phases,” Cape of Good Hope SPCA wrote in a press release about the event. “But making it inland and into a [neighborhood] is, by all accounts, highly unusual.”
Rescuers knew they’d need to act fast in order to get the seal back home.
“With so many moving parts — traffic, onlookers, and a massive marine mammal in distress — it took rapid coordination and clear focus to keep everyone safe,” Cape of Good Hope SPCA wrote.
Over the course of nine hours, rescue teams across multiple agencies worked together to move the seal. They secured the area and redirected traffic. Wildlife experts sedated the seal and then carefully moved him into a large animal trailer. They drove him to Koggel Bay and prepared for his release.
Back where he belonged, the grateful seal squirmed out of the trailer and into the sandy expanse. Far from the crowds and flashing lights, the massive animal could finally relax. He headed for the ocean and submerged himself in the sweet, familiar serenity of the waves.
To help other animals like this seal, you can make a donation to the Cape of Good Hope SPCA.
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Labradoodle Was So Matted No One Could See His Face — Then His Big Smile Was Revealed
“We didn’t know what [he] looked like under all that hair.”
Last year, 17 dogs rescued from a hoarding case arrived at Best Friends Animal Sanctuary in Utah. The dogs had been severely neglected for years and were all weighed down by heavy, matted fur.
“This is definitely the worst case [of matting] I have seen,” Best Friends Animal Sanctuary senior lifesaving care specialist Jenny Dolan told The Dodo. “We do frequently get dogs coming in with mats, but this was so severe.”
One of the rescued dogs, Crawfish, stood out to Dolan because of his sweet, gentle personality. While many dogs who go through such extreme neglect are understandably terrified of humans, Crawfish was comfortable with Dolan right away.
Crawfish’s fur was so overgrown and thick that he could barely see. Its weight prevented him from walking and even made it difficult to stand.
Eager to get Crawfish more comfortable as soon as possible, Dolan and a team of caretakers got to work shaving off his mats. After hours of careful grooming, Crawfish was finally free of the weight he’d been carrying around.
“We didn’t know what [he] looked like under all that hair,” Dolan said.
It turned out that beneath his filthy, knotted mats, Crawfish had a beautiful light brown coat. Most importantly, once he was shaved, he finally felt like he could breathe again.
Despite everything he’d been through, Crawfish thankfully didn’t have any major health concerns. In fact, Dolan was shocked by how quickly he bounced back and started showing off his playful, curious personality.
“He’s very affectionate,” Dolan said. “We were surprised.”
Crawfish needed a lot of help learning basic life skills, like walking on a leash, getting in and out of cars and lying on a bed. Even eating treats was something he had to learn.
“I would hand him a dog treat and he’d crunch into it, and most of the biscuit would fall on the ground,” Dolan said. “But he didn’t care. He was just so happy he got a treat.”
With each passing day, Crawfish experienced something new for the first time. His positive attitude toward learning new things amazed Dolan.
“He was this happy-go-lucky guy,” Dolan said. “And nothing really scared him. He just was all, ‘This is the best day of my life. I can’t wait to do this. I don’t know what I’m doing, but I’m going to do it.’”
After a few months at the sanctuary, it was time for another first for Crawfish: getting adopted by a loving family. As hard as it was to see him go, Dolan couldn’t have been more thrilled that the sweet pup had found a forever home.
“[He] has spent the last five months coming into his own,” Gavin, Crawfish’s adopter, told The Dodo.
With his family, Crawfish gets in lots of practice doing his new favorite activities: eating treats and lounging in bed.
If you’d like to support to Best Friends Animal Society (the organization that runs the sanctuary), you can make a donation here.
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