Rabid beaver attacks family fishing at Lake Henry in New Jersey
A rabid beaver attacked a family fishing at Lake Henry in Mahwah, New Jersey, sending an 8-year-old boy to the hospital and prompting rabies warnings.
A beaver charged from Lake Henry and attacked people, including a child, in Mahwah, New Jersey, on May 3. Health officials say multiple people were exposed and the animal later tested positive for rabies.
A family fishing at Lake Henry in Mahwah, New Jersey, was attacked by a rabid beaver Sunday, sending an 8-year-old boy to the hospital and prompting health officials to warn anyone who may have had contact with the animal to seek medical guidance.
The beaver attack happened around 6 p.m. on May 3 at Lake Henry in the Continental Soldiers Park complex, according to NBC New York. Police said the boy was fishing from the shoreline when the beaver came out of the water and charged. The child tried to run but tripped, and the rabid beaver bit him in the upper thigh. Video shows a family friend intervening by hitting and kicking the beaver until it retreated, though police said the animal continued circling the area. The boy was taken to Good Samaritan Hospital for treatment.
Authorities later learned the same beaver had reportedly attacked other park visitors earlier in the day. Animal control officers captured the beaver after it showed possible signs of illness, and Mahwah officials confirmed Tuesday that the beaver tested positive for rabies.
A rabid beaver attacks a boy in Mahwah, New Jersey at Lake Henry. (Image credit: Michael Noonan via Storyful)
“Individuals who were bitten are currently receiving treatment,” the Mahwah Township Health Department said. Officials urged anyone who had contact with the rabid beaver to notify the department immediately so they can be assessed by a doctor.
Rabies is a deadly viral disease found in the saliva of infected animals and is usually spread through a bite, according to the New Jersey Certified Animal Control Officers Association. Rabies can also spread if infected saliva gets into an open cut or the eyes. Once symptoms begin, rabies attacks the nervous system and is almost always fatal.
Only mammals, including people, can get rabies. In the United States, rabies is most often found in wild animals, including raccoons, bats, skunks, groundhogs and foxes. Rabid animals may act unusually aggressive, appear disoriented, have trouble walking or seem unusually tame, though some infected animals can appear normal.
Health officials recommend that anyone bitten by a beaver or another wild animal wash the wound immediately with soap and water, seek prompt medical care and report the animal bite to the local health department. People should not try to handle wild animals themselves and should contact animal control or police.
New Jersey health officials also advise residents to keep pets’ rabies vaccinations up to date, keep pets away from wild animals, secure garbage lids and never hand-feed wildlife.
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