A seal named Freddie Mercury sadly died after being attacked by an ‘out of control’ dog in South West London.
The seal is named after the Queen singer after entertaining people near Hammersmith Bridge in Barnes, having arrived in the area last month.
Freddie the seal dies after dog attack
He became something of a national treasure after appearing on This Morning and other news channels, with a fundraiser for the animal that he said ‘brought much-needed joy and smiles’ to the community.
We’re very sad to hear the news about Freddie the seal. Our fire boat crews worked with partners to rescue Freddie after he was injured by a dog near #Hammersmith Bridge. He was taken to be treated at @SEWH but sadly his injuries were too severe © @SEWH pic.twitter.com/jubsaHqrE1
— London Fire Brigade (@LondonFire) March 24, 2021
However, heartbreaking footage from the weekend showed the ‘serious’ injuries he sustained after being attacked by a dog, and the British Divers Marine Life Rescue (BDMLR) confirmed that poor Freddie has had to be euthanized.
BDMLR said it sent doctors to treat Freddie’s injuries, which included a bite to his right wing, and further X-rays revealed that he suffered a fracture, dislocation and damage to his joints, ligaments and nerves.
Because of this, the charity said, it became “impossible” to treat the seal and return it to the wild.
