Florida Man Still Considers Otters To Be ‘Cute’ After Getting Bitten By A Rabid Otter 41 Times

Yikes! A Florida man named Joe Scaglione, who was bitten by a rabid otter about 41 times, still considers otters to be “cute.”

According to Palm Beach County Animal Care and Control, they say that they have never seen a case like this in more than a decade. Meanwhile, Scaglione, who is 74 years old, recently spoke with West Palm Beach’s WPTV and revealed how he is currently recovering from an attack by a rabid river otter, which was so bad, that it sent him to the hospital.

Scaglione said he is a self-professed animal lover, explaining, “My wife and I always loved animals. We always had pets.” So, when his backyard became somewhat of a little safe haven for local animals, like ducks, bluejays, and ibises (long-legged wading birds found in wetlands and forests), Scaglione continued to spend most of his time hanging out with them.

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However, one day last week, Scaglione was spending time in his backyard and encountered an unusual guest that no one in the neighborhood could have ever expected. It was a rabid otter, and it was coming right for the animal lover.

Recalling the shocking moment, Scaglione said, “I didn’t turn my back because it’s a bad idea to turn your back on a wild animal. It kept lunging forward.” The Florida man said his wife, Ana, who was inside their home, had heard all of the commotion and screaming coming from the yard and rushed to him to try and help.

The Florida man’s wife told the outlet, “I saw him full of blood and I said, ‘Oh my God,’ and then I started screaming, ‘Please, somebody help us.'”

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Fortunately, the Scagliones had a next-door neighbor hear their cries for help and was able to rush over to them and transport the Florida man to the hospital. However, by the time they made their way to the Emergency Room, Scaglione had been bitten more than 40 times on his hands, wrists, and legs.

Recalling how tight of a grip the rabid otter had on him, the Florida man said, “He grabbed me by in between the index finger and the thumb, and he latched on and wouldn’t let go. So, I grabbed him by the throat with my left hand and I said, ‘Rabid animal, I gotta kill him.'”

Once at the hospital, Scaglione said everyone was surprised when they heard about the attack. He said, “Even the nurses in the hospital and everything as soon as I said, ‘Otter,’ they said, ‘What!?'” However, Scaglione says despite being attacked by a rabid otter, he still has love for all animals, even otters. He added, “They’re cute just stay over there, that’s all.”

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After choking out the otter, the animal escaped from his clutches and fled the yard. From there, it is reported that the rabid otter continued its rampage and ended up messing with and biting a family’s dog down the street.

Escaping yet again, the residents of the neighborhood tried to find the rabid otter, which they eventually trapped inside of recycling bin, using two cinder blocks. They then called and waited for Animal Care and Control to arrive. When they did, one animal control officer captured the otter, and the Florida Department of Health later confirmed that it had rabies.

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