Woman Viciously Attacked by Beaver on Beaver Lake

67-year-old Betsy Bent was paddle boarding
By Kate Seamons,  Newser Staff
Posted Jul 12, 2016 11:39 AM CDT
Woman Viciously Attacked by Beaver on Beaver Lake
The possibly rabid beaver was euthanized.   (Shutterstock)

The irony of the situation likely wasn't lost on Betsy Bent, who while paddle boarding on North Carolina's Beaver Lake on Friday was attacked by a, yes, beaver. The 67-year-old describes her ordeal to the Asheville Citizen-Times, explaining that after she saw a splash, something swam under her board, causing her to lose her balance and fall in the water. "Then it latched onto my leg and wouldn't let go. I didn't know what it was at that time. I didn't think there was any 'Jaws' in Beaver Lake." WYFF reports that a nearby fisherman got the animal to release, only to bite down on her hand, release, and latch onto the other. The fisherman was ultimately able to help get the beaver to give up and brought Bent to shore. Her wounds were stitched and stapled.

The animal was caught by Asheville Police Department's Animal Services on Saturday, with a rabies test scheduled for Monday; Bent has already begun receiving rabies shots. WLOS reports the beaver—typically a nocturnal and non-aggressive animal—was euthanized. That it was out during daylight hours suggests the animal was sick, warden Billy Jenkins tells WYFF. The incident apparently wasn't enough to scare Bent off a "wonderful" lake she's used for 22 years. "We'll be back again." (This man tried to take a photo of a beaver, and it killed him.)

Get the news faster.
Tap to install our app.
X
Install the Newser News app
in two easy steps:
1. Tap in your navigation bar.
2. Tap to Add to Home Screen.

X