UPDATE:
A young girl was bit by a beaver Saturday evening in the Sardis area of Lake Lanier. Following the incident, the beaver's body was sent to the Georgia Public Health Lab – Virology Section in Decatur for testing.
The results have come back confirming the beaver tested positive for rabies, according to Hall County Public Information Officer Joy Holmes.
There is currently no word on the status of the girl who was bitten.
Positive alert signs are set to be posted in the area where the attack occurred. Officials are asking anyone who lives in this area and sees any animals acting abnormally to contact Hall County Animal Services at (770) 531-6830 or call dispatch at (770) 536-8812.
County officials are also asking animal owners to ensure their pets are vaccinated against rabies. Those vaccinations are available at the Hall County Animal Shelter for $10 Tuesday through Friday from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. at 1688 Barber Road in Gainesville.
As of 4:07 p.m. Monday:
A beaver woke up on the wrong side of the dam Saturday when it attacked a young girl swimming in Lake Lanier, biting her in the leg.
A young girl who was swimming in the Sardis area at the northern end of Lake Lanier on private property was reportedly bit in the leg by an angry beaver Saturday evening. During the course of the attack, the father of the girl intervened and killed the beaver using blunt-force trauma, according to Hall County Animal Control Field Supervisor Kevin Buecker.
The Georgia Department of Natural Resources responded to the incident. After arriving on the scene, they turned the case over to Hall County Animal Control, since the case involved someone being bitten.
The beaver was transported to the state lab, where it is currently being tested for rabies, Buecker said.
Officials believe there were no indications that there might have been baby beavers in the area that the attacking beaver was trying to protect. There were also reportedly no visual cues that the beaver was sick.
Authorities with DNR report “it was just an otherwise angry beaver.”
The girl who was bitten is said to be alright at the last report.
