RABIES, WILDLIFE - USA (04): (WISCONSIN) OTTER, HUMAN EXPOSURE

Date: Tue 11 Aug 2009
Source: The New York Times, Associated Press (AP) report [edited]
<http://www.nytimes.com/aponline/2009/08/11/us/AP-US-Otter-Attack-Wisconsin.html>


Austrian woman reports otter attack in Wisconsin
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An Austrian woman on vacation in Wisconsin is getting rabies shots after
she said she was bitten by otters while swimming in a lake. The 51 year old
woman told the Duluth News Tribune that she was swimming on Lake Owen near
Drummond last Wednesday [3 Aug 2009] when 3 otters suddenly appeared.
Feeling concerned, she swam to shore. Just as she got there, she said,
"there they were -- one on the right leg and one on the left leg." She said
they swam off when she shook her legs, but not before biting her 8 or 9
times. Although the victim says the bites didn't hurt much, she did go to a
hospital, where doctors started a series of rabies shots.

The visitor lives in Altach, Austria. Her husband is from Duluth
[Minnesota], and they visit Lake Owen each summer.