Dogsey

Dog owners were today warned to take control of their pets amid fears seals are being attacked off the North East coast.

The mammals are being left terrified due to dogs chasing them off St Mary's Island in Whitley Bay.

Experts are today warning animal owners to take care while out walking close to the seal population.

Stephen Marsh, operations manager for the British Divers Marine Life Rescue, said: “It must be quite a terrifying thing for a seal to see a dog running at it.

“Seals are naturally very wary, and dogs can mover very quickly when they see them.

“We would ask owners to keep their dogs on leads when there are seals about. When a dog sees a seal it’s much more interested in the seal than it is obeying an owner’s command.”

During the last couple of months there have been large numbers of grey seals hauling themselves out of the water and onto rocks off the Tynemouth coast.

A molting seal must increase its body temperature in order for the process to happen. Seals also need to digest food in an oxygen rich environment and so come out of the water, onto land to do this. Seals also sleep on land better than water.

There is also concern that some of the seals are getting injured when they make a dash for the water, especially in rocky areas like in Tynemouth.

What do you think? Should tighter be restrictions be imposed to protect seals? Or should dogs be free to do what they want?