Police find baby seal in car during traffic stop

Even in a small town like Coupeville, Washington routine traffic stops usually don't make the news. But you could hardly call what happened last Friday routine.

"One of my officers stopped a vehicle on the streets here in town for failing to stop at a stop sign," said Town Marshall David Penrod.

Penrod says when his deputy walked up to the car, something caught his eye. "He looked in the back seat and noticed what he thought was a stuffed animal began to move around," said Penrod.



Staring up at him from behind the glass was a harbor seal pup just a few days old, scared and dehydrated. The deputy's investigation of a rolling stop was now an investigation of something very serious.

It's violation of federal law to capture a seal. The seal pup was found in the back seat of a woman's car, frightened and dehydrated. Penrod still can't believe what happened. "I've been here 14 years and I've never seen anybody put a seal in the back of their car," he said.

The woman who had the pup was not arrested. She claims a friend gave her the pup and she was on her way to find it some help. The National Marine Fisheries Service is investigating and will make a recommendation to prosecutors on whether she or anyone else should face charges.

With news video.