When northern elephant seal Chunky was first spotted, he was skinny and still had his blackcoat, or baby fur, which elephant seals shed once they’ve weaned from their mother. But because he was alert, our trained responders monitored Chunky for several days hoping for signs of improvement. Sadly, Chunky remained lethargic, plus off-leash dogs posed a potential threat, so our experts rescued this young pup.  Chunky’s experience is not uncommon as harassment from people and dogs is one of the top reasons these young animals are rescued. Luckily for Chunky and pups like him, this can be prevented by keeping your distance and leashing your pets. Once at our hospital, Chunky’s big personality made him a favorite among animal care experts, who were pleased to see him respond well to initial treatment and begin to gain weight. After about three months of care that included a healthy dose of herring, medicine and lessons in “fish school,” he was released back to the wild alongside other rehabilitated seals.