Overview
- The beaver, which charged an 8-year-old fishing at Lake Henry on Sunday around 6 p.m., bit him in the upper thigh before relatives pulled him away and EMS took him to Good Samaritan Hospital.
- Tyco Animal Control captured the animal at Continental Soldiers Park, and township officials said Tuesday it tested positive for rabies.
- Police say the same beaver approached or bit other visitors earlier that day, and they are collecting reports and online video to identify everyone who may have been exposed.
- The Mahwah Township Health Department says people who were bitten are receiving treatment and asks anyone who touched the animal to contact the department for medical assessment.
- Rabies spreads through saliva from bites but prompt wound care and a vaccine series prevent illness, which is why officials are working to find and guide all potential contacts.