THE DAILY WIRE · MARYLAND, USA · 2026-08-20
When the Dam Breaks: A Rabies Story
Disease experts in Maryland are urging residents to practice safe animal habits following what officials are calling an 'unusual' spike in rabid beaver attacks — a phrase that did not appear on this columnist's bingo card for the week.
Per the report, health authorities are treating the pattern seriously enough to issue public guidance, indicating the incidents are not isolated. The specifics of each encounter remain with investigators, but the advisory itself confirms the trend is real and ongoing.
Webster would like it on the record that beavers are, under normal circumstances, among the least confrontational animals in the Eastern Woodlands, spending most of their time on infrastructure projects rather than public disputes. Something has clearly changed the terms of engagement.
For perspective from someone who shares the woods with the accused, this desk consulted Dale, a white-tailed deer with a long history of giving beavers a wide berth on principle. His read on the situation comes from years of quiet, first-hand riverbank diplomacy.
Residents are advised to keep their distance and let the professionals handle it, which, Webster notes, is advice several beavers apparently did not receive.
“Everybody's shocked a beaver got aggressive, but I've seen those guys hoard sticks like it's the end times. My advice: don't get between a rodent and its dam, and always check the water before you drink it.” — Dale, local white-tailed deer
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