The International Fund for Animal Welfare says a dolphin that was found stranded on Cape Cod was released after being treated at a new facility.
The Dolphin Rescue Center, described by IFAW as a "first-of-its-kind short-term rehabilitation facility," opened last year in Orleans, Massachusetts.
A dolphin that was stranded this weekend in Brewster became the facility's first patient, IFAW said.
After spending less than 24 hours at the Dolphin Rescue Center, the animal was brought to Herring Cove in Provincetown and released successfully.
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"This is a major innovative step forward for our program that will advance and inform marine mammal rescue efforts globally," Brian Sharp, director of IFAW's marine mammal rescue team, said in a statement. "This facility fills a critical unmet need on the Cape where our team responds to an average of 70 live dolphins per year."
More Cape Cod dolphin rescues
IFAW said the dolphin received round-the-clock care at the facility.
"For this dolphin, additional care was the only way for the animal to have a chance at survival," Dr. Sarah Sharp, IFAW's animal rescue veterinarian, said in a statement shared by the organization. "He was suffering from shock, seawater aspiration, and trauma from the stranding event, but responded well to supportive care and treatments the team provided."
Rescuers put a small temporary satellite tag on the dolphin, the animal welfare organization said.
