DES MOINES, Wash. — SR3 in Des Moines is saving the lives of marine animals. SR3 stands for Sea life Response Rehabilitation and Research. It's a nonprofit organization founded by Casey McLean in 2011.
"Right now we have a lot of harbor seal pups on site. It is harbor seal pupping season, and unfortunately, moms get scared off by people or dogs being too close, and the pups are abandoned," said McLean. The seal pups are going to rehabilitate with SR3 for about two to three months before they're released to the ocean.
The nonprofit rehabilitates not only seal pups, but also other larger marine animals like sea lions, sea otters, sea turtles, porpoise and many more.
SR3 is the first and only specialized Marine Animal Hospital in the PNW.
"We're willing to go wherever we're needed," McLean said. "So, if that means into Oregon, we're happy to go there. If that's all over coastal Washington, we're happy to go there too. We have an ambulance that can go out and pick up animals to transport them, especially large animals, if necessary. "
You can support all the things that SR3 does by volunteering, giving a donation or helping the marine animals that are not habituated to people.
NOAA West Coast Marine Mammal Stranding Hotline: Call (866) 767-6114
Segment Producer Gloria Angelin. Watch New Day Northwest 11 a.m. weekdays on KING 5 and streaming live on KING5.com. Contact New Day.