Video Catches 3 Family Members Forced to Fight Off Angry, Rabid Beaver That Charged Boy, 8, Sending Him to the Hospital
A family in Mahwah, New Jersey, was filming a beaver-related altercation when an earlier incident escalated into danger: a rabid beaver attacked an 8-year-old boy as he tried to fish, biting his leg after “exiting the lake and charg[ing]” him. Police said other people were also attacked that day. Video footage posted to X showed several family members-including the mother, who appears to be using a hammer-intervening, along with their pet dog.The confrontation ended when the beaver was thrown back into the water. Animal control later confirmed the beaver had rabies. The article also cites broader statistics on animal-related deaths and notes that rabies causes relatively few deaths but still advises people to be prepared.
A New Jersey family was trying to enjoy the great outdoors, but a rabid beaver had other plans.
KABC-TV posted footage to social media platform X on May 6 showing a man filming an altercation between the aforementioned family and their attacker — a crazed beaver.
The outlet reported that the incident occurred in Mahwah, New Jersey. An 8-year-old boy was injured as he tried to fish when the animal charged him from the water and bit his leg.
From the footage, three family members — and the pet dog — stepped in to help, with the mother wielding what appeared to be a hammer.
A shocking and scary moment for a family in New Jersey.
A rabid beaver was seen attacking people at Lake Henry in Mahwah.
Police said an 8-year-old boy was taken to the hospital after being bitten in the leg by the beaver who had “exited the lake and charged him.” pic.twitter.com/UM9WKhxRDT
— ABC7 Eyewitness News (@ABC7) May 6, 2026
Per the outlet, the beaver had attacked other individuals that day.
The altercation ended when one of the family members tossed the beaver back in the water.
Globe Magazine gave an update Saturday, reporting that the beaver was confirmed to have rabies.
This was verified by animal control officers who caught it after the attack.
Whether you’re in a bad neighborhood or just walking a trail, it’s never a bad idea to carry a gun.
We often forget in our developed world where nature has largely been tamed, and animals domesticated, that danger still exists.
The New York Post reported that from 2018 to 2023, there were 1,604 animal-related deaths nationwide, with the most occurring in Texas, where 225 took place.
California came in second with 128; Florida was third with 112.
Some 31 percent of deaths came from animals that can sting, like wasps and hornets.
Dog attacks accounted for 26 percent.
Almost half of these deaths — 46.8 percent — occurred in the southern United States.
The report mentioned animal-related deaths have been increasing. In the 1980s, there were just 157 total.
The Centers for Disease Control said less than 10 people die per year of rabies.
Combine that with the report from the New York Post where beavers are not even mentioned as an animal to look out for, and your chances of being in the situation that unfolded earlier this month are low.
Even so, always be prepared.
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