Rabid otter attacks man, 96

[cali]

VENICE -- An rabid otter emerged from the brush and attacked a 96-year-old man early this morning, the Sarasota County Sheriff's Office reported.

The victim was walking in the 300 block of Venice East Boulevard 4:23 a.m. today when he was attacked, according to the Sheriff's Office.

Two witnesses saw the victim on the ground being attacked by the otter and used garden tools to fend it off. They called 9-1-1, according to a sheriff's report.

Both the victim and one of the witnesses who came to his rescue, a 36-year-old man, went to the Venice emergency room for treatment of injuries. The other rescuer was uninjured.

The witnesses thought they had killed the animal, but it began to retreat to the brush and had to be put down as dangerous to the public.

Animal Services responded and took the animal for its investigation. A rabies came back positive.

<snip>

http://www.bradenton.com/2010/03/05/2108995/vicious-otter-attacks-man-96.html

The headline has an onionesque rings to it but of course the story isn't really funny at all. hope the old guy is OK.

[hlthe2b]

1. Took me quite a while to be sure this was Florida...

Although Sarasota County suggested so, Venice threw me. It took quite a few clicks on the website to actually identify that the Herald was from Bradenton, Florida. I've always found it strange that newspapers often don't put their location in their bylines.


:shrug:


That said, Florida has its share of rabies, especially in raccoons, so this doesn't surprise me.

[SteveM]

4. First thing that popped into mind was Florida, Venice or no...

For years we scared tourists with the prospect of falling off water skis into... a nest of MOCCASINS!

When that one wore out, the RABID OTTERS of Itchtucknee Springs was used unsuccessfully to ward off the thousands of tubers which now descend on this fairy-tale river of absolutely clear water.

I feel the return of the 17-FOOT ALLIGATOR coming on... after you're stuck in the QUICKSAND!

[qazplm]

2. He's gotta be thinking

I made it to 96, pretty darn good, and then a rabid otter tries to take me out. WTH?

[-..__...]

3. The old guy otter be more careful where he walks,

[RedCloud]

5. The golden years really hadn't otter be that way.

[tomm2thumbs]

6. commence pun-icillin shots immediately!

this could get out of hand

[Name removed]

7. Deleted message

Message removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[Selatius]

8. He was missing the Holy Hand Grenade of Antioch. Otherwise, he'd have escaped injury.

[KittyWampus]

10. Weasels Ripped My Flesh

[KittyWampus]

9. Drunk elks attack police

http://www.thelocal.se/2453/20051108/

[Generic Other]

11. why are the people commenting on the blog on the otter's side?

Freakin' weird!!

[WolverineDG]

12. And people used to make fun of Jimmy Carter running

from a bunny that was chasing him...anyone who knows anything about wildlife will tell you: when it comes towards YOU, RUN FOR YOUR FUCKING LIFE--IT'S RABID.

My dad, the Republican, often shouted folks down for ragging on Jimmy Carter for that.

dg

[madinmaryland]

13. Florida. nuf said.