Scottish SPCA

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Otter cub found by dog

The Scottish SPCA is caring for a young otter cub after it was found by a dog in a Dumfriesshire garden.

We were called to rescue the four month old male otter after it was picked up by the dog at his home near Lochmaben on Saturday (13 October).

Local inspector Janet Proudlock took the otter to a vet to be checked over before transferring him to our National Wildlife Rescue Centre at Fishcross, near Alloa for rehabilitation. He has been named Kinnel after the nearby river.

Centre Manager Colin Seddon said, “Apart from a slight limp, Kinnel is otherwise unharmed and he ate for the first time last night which is a good sign that he’s already on the road to recovery.

“Hopefully he’ll continue to progress well in our care and we’ll eventually look to introduce him to other otter cubs of a similar age to continue his development.

“Our goal is always to return our wildlife casualties back to the wild fully fit and able to fend for themselves.

“Although they look cute and cuddly, otter cubs can give a very nasty bite so the dog who picked him up was lucky not to receive any injuries himself.

“We encourage anyone who sees an otter cub or any other wild animal in distress to call our Animal Helpline on 03000 999 999 for advice and assistance.”