Maitland police shoot and kill rabid otter

MAITLAND, Fla. -- A Maitland police officer shot and killed a rabid otter after multiple reports of people being bit and scratched near Lake Lily Park.

According to a police report, at least three victims were taken to a local hospital for treatment last week, prompting the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission to post warning signs around Lake Maitland that read, “CAUTION: Aggressive Otter Reported in Area.”

A few days after the attacks, police responded to a complaint of a sick otter in a resident’s backyard. In the report, officers said that the animal appeared lethargic and was “seizing and shaking violently” as it made its way into a drainage ditch.

After making sure the area was clear of people, an officer euthanized the otter by shooting it twice.

Orange County Animal Services took the otter for testing and confirmed that the animal had rabies. A spokeswoman tells the Orlando Sentinel the people who came in contact with the otter are undergoing rabies vaccinations.