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Your Life-Saving Gift Will Be Matched

Found with his flippers tucked tightly against his body, California sea lion Pockets looked like a sick child with a bellyache.

Pockets was battling a potentially fatal bacterial disease, leptospirosis. We've rescued nearly 500 sea lions affected by this year's intense outbreak.

With your matched gift, you’ll not only help provide the meals and advanced medical care needed to help a sea lion like Pockets recover, but also support our researchers in learning more about this disease.

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California sea lion
Sarah Pattison

Sarah Pattison, RVT

Director, Hospital Operations

Sarah Pattison is a bona fide science nerd with a passion for animals and conservation. She grew up catching salamanders and befriending dogs whenever possible, and always knew that she would pursue a career working with animals. A Bay Area native, Sarah’s first experience with The Marine Mammal Center was on a visit during an elementary school field trip, and she enjoys working for an organization that brought her so much excitement as a child. In her role as Director of Hospital Operations, Sarah is privileged to lead the Center’s team of incredibly talented and passionate veterinary technicians.

Sarah has been working in the field of veterinary medicine since 2002 and became a Registered Veterinary Technician in 2008. She began working at the Center in 2016. Previously she worked in zoological medicine and small animal emergency/critical care. She has a particular interest in anesthesia/analgesia and wildlife conservation.

Sarah lives in the East Bay with her partner and rescue dogs. Her passion for wildlife extends into her home, which they have transformed into a small urban homestead that is registered as both a Certified Wildlife Habitat Garden and a Monarch Waystation.

Areas of Expertise

  • Conservation
  • Wildlife & Exotic Animal Medicine
  • Veterinary Anesthesia and Analgesia
  • Veterinary Critical Care



Talk to Our Experts

Our experts are available to comment on a variety of marine mammal and ocean health issues. Please contact our PR team at media@tmmc.org to schedule an interview. 

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Recent Publications 

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researchers apply a satellite tag to a Guadalupe fur seal
Research Paper

Inhalant Anesthesia for Minimally Invasive Procedures in Guadalupe Fur Seals

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