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Tests Confirm Rabies After Beaver Attacks at New Jersey Park

Health officials urge anyone who touched the animal at Lake Henry to contact Mahwah for evaluation.

Overview

  • Town officials confirmed Tuesday that the beaver captured at Lake Henry in Mahwah tested positive for rabies.
  • The same animal attacked an 8-year-old who was fishing Sunday evening at Continental Soldiers Park, biting his upper thigh before relatives pulled him away.
  • Mahwah EMS took the child to Good Samaritan Hospital, and officials say several other visitors were also bitten and are now receiving treatment.
  • Tyco Animal Control captured the beaver after noticing signs of illness, as police gathered reports and online video of earlier encounters that day.
  • Authorities ask anyone who had contact with the animal to call the Mahwah health department or police because rabies spreads through saliva and prompt shots prevent the disease.