Meet the seagull that lives inside a Dumbarton business

However, Bruce Garden, owner of Tyresavers in Dumbarton, has broken the mould when it comes to perceptions of the bird.

Around 18 months ago the 54-year-old came across an injured seagull that was in need of help due to a damaged wing.

The bird was found in Vale of Leven Industrial Estate - where his business is based.

Bruce nursed the seagull back to health but she remains unable to fly after its injury.

However, he remains positive the animal will eventually make a full recovery, and this hope is what inspired its name.

He told the Reporter: "In 2022 the seagull was on its back in the big main car park here [Tyresavers] and when I noticed it, quickly I was able to see that its right wing and one of its legs were injured.

"There was blood coming out of the injured wing and I just sort of helped her up and it walked away quite the thing.

"Someone else then brought it back into the garage as they know I am a soft touch when it comes to wildlife or anything else that is less fortunate.

"I helped nurse it back to health and named it 'Hopeful' in the hope it will fly again."

Bruce insists that it was a process of trial and error to help the animal get better, and then find out what it likes to eat.

"I bought a liquid that you put into water which is meant to aid bone growth and it did from the point of view of allowing its wing to become strong enough as it continues to develop," he continued.

"Calciform, it is called. I just fed it that as we went and I then had to go through the process of thinking, what does a Seagull like to eat?

"Everyone has an impression that a seagull will eat anything, but I can tell you, this one doesn’t. I feed it mussels, mints and Babybel cheese, which it likes on occasion, and I go through the process of seeing what she likes."

However, things could have been very different as Bruce explained how he contacted the Scottish Society for Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (SSPCA) after originally coming across Hopeful, asking for advice.

And the Bruce says the organisation told him it was best to "let nature take its course".

"I was informed [by the SSPCA], because of Avian Influenza, and the fact that Hopeful is classed as a wild bird, to leave her alone and let nature take its course but of course that did not happen as someone had brought her to me," he continued.

"She came in [the garage] and has been part of the furniture ever since."

Given Hopeful's nest, which has been constructed out of tyres and branches, sits inside Bruce's business, it is likely to attract attention from customers.

However, he insists that those who come in to get their tyres fixed are enamoured with the bird, enjoying the novelty of being able to see the animal up close.

"The customers that come in are usually quite interested in it as it is not often you get to see a seagull in close quarters," he added. 

"I have not received any negative feedback about Hopeful, most people seem quite positive about it."

The guidance from the SSPCA's official website on injured animals states that: "If the animal is assessed and found to be unharmed, it may be in the animal’s best interest for our officers to leave them where they are.

"If the animal is otherwise healthy and is likely to survive their injury, they will be taken to our National Wildlife Rescue Centre where they will receive the treatment and rehabilitation they need to be able to thrive in the wild again.

"However, if the animal is unlikely to recover from their injuries, the decision may be taken to humanely euthanise them."