Baby mink 'Sailor' rescued in St. Lunaire-Griquet

A group of volunteers with a cat rescue group in St. Lunaire-Griquet has been nursing an entirely different animal back to health.

"My husband Chris went out to see what was going on. So when he went out, we found out it wasn't a cat — it was a baby mink." said Debbie Humby of Silver Linings Cat Rescue.

The animal was struck by a car a couple of days ago, and since then, Humby and other volunteers have been caring for the kit as its injuries heal.

"When we found it, it was unconscious, and there was some bleeding from the mouth. And it looked like it had an injury to one of its back paws," she told CBC News.

Humby said while there have been occasional mink sightings in the area, it's unusual to see one so young. 

But what the rescue group finds most amazing is how tame the animal has been.

"He showed no signs of being wild or trying to fight us," she said.

"He was rubbing his head against us, just like a cat would, and we realized he was falling over wanting his belly rubbed and not acting like a wild animal at all."  

Sailor is the name

Humby said her group has been in contact with the Salmonier Nature Park to see if the mink could be taken.

"It just so happened that they have a mink enclosure — but they don't have a mink," said Humby.

"So it just worked out really well. They're going to take him, and put him in their nature park and people will be able to visit him. He'll be looked after."

Humby said it will be another few days before the animal, which they named Sailor, is off on his next adventure.

The rescue group is making arrangements with the Department of Wildlife and Conservation for pickup and transportation to the Avalon Peninsula.