An emaciated beaver plucked from the East River three weeks ago has been nursed back to health and returned to the wild. Of course, cameras were on hand to catch the darling creature's dramatic reunion with nature, as well as the joyful exclamations of her human captors, who made such encouraging statements as "Yaaaayyyy," "She's swimming!" and, after accidentally slamming a cage door in the beaver's face, "I'm sorry, I scared the shit out of you."
The beaver, dubbed Justine, was found with a "large intestinal blockage and was severely dehydrated," Cathy Horvath, founder of Wildlife in Need of Rescue and Rehabilitation, told City Room. She was nursed back to health with the help of Horvath, a veterinarian and several restorative laps in a kiddie pool.
Below, watch Justine as she plods huffily out of her cat carrier and back into the water, apparently unmoved by the cooing of the several adoring humans gathered around her:
Ohmygod beavers are the cuuuutesst! That is, of course, until they violently rip your face off, beating their tails mirthfully on the ground while you bleed to death.
