Also,
DON’T do what one candidate for Governor did
By Will Collette. Photos courtesy of Mystic Aquarium unless otherwise noted
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| Hereeeeeeee's Pluto! |
On May 15, the good people at the Mystic Aquarium Animal Rescue
Team did the unusual, releasing three
seals – two harps and one gray seal – at the same time at Blue Shutters Beach
in Charlestown.
Rescued marine mammals come to Mystic from all over New England
to be treated for illnesses or injuries before they are set free from one of
Charlestown’s beaches.
They also run educational programs and also try to inform the
public on the right thing to do when encountering a stranded or injuries marine
mammal. If you read on, you’ll see how one guy who would like to be Rhode
Island’s next Governor obviously didn’t get the memo.
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| Curie makes the first move toward freedom |
Unfortunately, I missed this release because as good as the Mystic
folks are at nursing sick seals back to full health, they need to improve their
PR. I received notice at 6:30 AM, three and a half hours before the 10 AM
release.
But the staff provided me with photos, including one that you’ll only
see here on Progressive Charlestown.
They also told me that in the future, they'll send notice in enough time for me to let you know in advance about these releases. I've been to a bunch of them and they never get old.
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| Pandora poses for her adoring public |
The three seals, Pluto, Pandora and Curie, plopped out of their
carriers and waddled down to the water to begin their normal lives in the wild.
The Mystic folks warn people to be careful when they find an injured marine
mammal and to contact local police or the Mystic Center first on their 24-hour
hotline, 860-527-5955, extension 107.
@ @ @
One of Rhode Island’s candidates for Governor, Todd Giroux, found
an injured seal on the beach in Bristol near his home. He took it upon himself
to load the seal into a garden cart and then took it home even though the seal was clearly injured with at least two puncture wounds.
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| Giroux took this picture and posted it on Facebook. The seal was supposedly still alive at this point. |
Giroux is a construction contractor not a veterinarian.
Of course, he took the obligatory photo for his Facebook page,
perhaps thinking this will somehow boost his chances with the voters.
Giroux is
not the sharpest pencil in the pencil box.
Neighbors called the police who went to Giroux’s house to tell him
to put the seal back, and contacted DEM.
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| Giroux, looking very pleased with himself (from his campaign website) |
By the time DEM arrived, the seal was
gone. They did not find a body.
DEM
told WPRO that the feds are investigating since Giroux’s action was a
violation of federal law.
Giroux is one of several candidates running for state office this
year who have no business doing so. I regret to say that Giroux is running as a Democrat, although he is picking up some right-wing Republican support.
In this age of shrinking news coverage of
real news, Giroux has been treated as if he’s a real candidate with real ideas,
rather than a crank. I’ll be writing more about Giroux soon to back up my assessment of his qualifications. There's a lot more wrong with him than just acting like
an idiot with that injured seal.