Last Saturday sheepdog Max was attacked by a beaver in Willebroek (Antwerp Province). Owner Stéphanie was taking an evening stroll in the Biezenweiden nature reserve. Because of the heat she let her dog cool off in the water for a while, although this is strictly forbidden. "Max barked at the beaver, then he was attacked," says Stéphanie.
A quick swim in a pond ended badly for Max, Stéphanie's dog. When Max saw the beaver, he started barking. The beaver then proceeded to bite him. "He has a bite in his groin, a serious wound. He has to take antibiotics. Fortunately, the wound was not life-threatening," says dog owner Stéphanie.
"I was totally unaware of the danger. There are areas where the dog is not allowed, which I then meticulously avoid. You never consider something like this could happen, but when it does, it's a huge shock," says Stéphanie. It was a bad wound: "A lot of blood came out of it; it was really shocking."
Dogs banned from swimming
Dogs are required to be on a leash in nature reserve. Swimming in the water is strictly forbidden. On social media, Stéphanie received many negative reactions to the video and her story. "I knew there were going to be negative comments to the post, but I felt it was more important to warn other people with dogs so they don't experience the same thing. The animals' safety is more important than the criticism," Stéphanie responds.
"I don't know if something like this happens often. I do remember one similar incident. But this story does not really surprise me. In water a beaver more agile than a dog," Kristijn Swinnen of environmental organisation Natuurpunt responds.
