Freddie the seal death: Dog owner sought by police after Thameside attack

A dog attack which resulted in a young seal having to be put down is being investigated by Richmond police.

The seal, named after the late Queen singer Freddie Mercury, used to frolic near Hammersmith Bridge in Barnes.

After being bitten on Sunday afternoon, he was taken to a rescue centre but vets decided he was too badly injured to be returned to the wild and was subsequently euthanised.

The Met says it wants to speak to the owner of the dog involved.

Police, the London Fire Brigade and the British Divers Marine Life Rescue (BDMLR) all went to Freddie's rescue before he was taken to the South Essex Wildlife Hospital in Tilbury.

His wounds included a broken bone, dislocation of the flipper and damage to joints, ligaments and nerves.

The hospital has a strict policy on not putting animals into captivity; and as a single-flippered seal would not survive in the wild, it was decided it was in Freddie's best interests for him to be put down.

Police say anyone with information about the dog's owner should contact them, and also thanked members of the public to tried to save Freddie.

Common or harbour seals can often be seen in and along the river Thames, with the Zoological Society of London's Thames Marine Mammal Survey reporting 117 sightings of the semi-aquatic mammals this year.