They even put up a sign.
Employees at a business in Eyemouth, Scotland, were surprised and concerned when a baby seal showed up right outside their door during a storm. The young pup clearly needed a safe place to wait it out.
They contacted British Divers Marine Life Rescue, who arrived to monitor the situation and ensure the seal stayed safe while on land. As they kept watch to prevent him from wandering into traffic, they also noticed a crowd of curious onlookers beginning to gather. Wanting to give the seal space, the team made a quick decision.
“Barriers were put in place to prevent members of the public from accessing the seal, allowing him to rest, and also stopping him from moving further up the pavement and onto the road,” Em Mayman of British Divers Marine Life Rescue told The Dodo. “The sign on the barrier advised the public the seal was resting.”
The sign read: “I’m sleeping. I’m fine, just tired. Please leave me alone.”
With the barrier in place, the seal had a quiet, protected spot to rest until the storm passed. The team was satisfied — but the seal had other ideas.
A few hours later, rescuers returned to check on him and discovered he had moved himself outside the barrier and gone straight back to sleep, as if nothing had happened.
“At one point, he even had his head resting on a sandbag,” the rescue wrote on Facebook.
The team couldn’t help but laugh. The cheeky seal had clearly decided he didn’t need their protection.
“Because, as always … the seal makes the rules,” they added.
After about six hours of rest, the pup finally woke up and made his way back to the beach. Everyone was relieved to see he was safe — even if, in his mind, he had everything under control all along.