Freddie the seal fundraiser tops £10,000 for two rescue charities
By The Editor
13th Aug 2021 | Local News
An online fundraising page for the charities that helped Freddie the seal has topped £10,000 in donations.
Freddie, a beloved harbour seal from Holland, sadly died last month after being attacked by a dog near Hammersmith Bridge.
On Monday March 22, a day after Freddie's injury, Rebecca Da Re started a JustGiving page to raise funds for the groups that helped him.
These included the British Divers and Marine Life Rescue (BDMLR) which rescued Freddie from the scene of the attack and South Essex Wildlife Hospital whose vets treated the seal.
Da Re's page originally aimed to raise £500 for both groups but was overwhelmed with donations when Freddie's death became national news.
The page reached its £10,000 milestone after an anonymous donation this week and is now on £10,041 after pledges from 596 people.
Four days after she started the fundraiser, Da Re told Richmond Nub News: "It's been incredibly successful, raising almost £10,000 in just a few days with donations coming in from across the world.
"Freddie had a wonderful story from a tiny pup to arriving here in Barnes. We used to visit him most days.
"These heroic organisations rescue wildlife week after week and first met Freddie as a newborn arriving from Norway."
She added: "Sadly, dog attacks on wildlife are on the increase; almost doubling each week.
"We're hoping with all of this we can further raise awareness of how much we need to appreciate and protect the incredible wildlife in the UK, educate both children and adults about how best we can enjoy their presence but also make sure they are kept safe and protected."
Though Freddie later became known as the Barnes seal he also spent time in the river in Twickenham and at Teddington Lock. The accident-prone pup had to be rescued from the lock in February this year after a fishing lure became stuck in his mouth.
Freddie's death last month sparked a national conversation about the safety of wild animals around pet dogs, and two petitions have been set up on the subject.
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