Beaver mauls man near Rochester: 'It was like watching a horror film'

© WHAM-TV video still

An Upstate New York man is recovering after being attacked by a beaver while kayaking near Rochester.

An Upstate New York man is recovering after being attacked by a beaver last week.

WHAM-TV

reports Michael Cavanaugh was in a kayak on Irondequoit Creek, about 7 miles outside of Rochester,

when a beaver jumped out of the water and knocked him overboard on Tuesday, June 10. The Lima, N.Y., resident was pulled underwater, bitten on his back and suffered deep puncture wounds on his arm.

"I heard my name called out from the shop and I ran out the door to see a guy getting pulled into the water," BayCreek Paddling Center trainer Nate Reynolds told the ABC affiliate of the attack on Monday.

"It was like watching a horror film."

According to

UPI

, Reynolds had to hit the beaver with a paddle multiple times to get it to let go of Cavanaugh, killing the rodent. The paddling center temporarily closed so animal control could find its carcass and test it for rabies.

A biologist with the New York Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) told WHAM that beavers are vegetarians and

attacks on humans are rare

, but do happen when they're infected with rabies or trying to protect their young.

Cavanaugh is being treated for rabies as a precaution as well.

"My body is focusing on healing the wounds," he told the news station. "I've slept quite a bit. Though the event was scary I haven't felt much in the way of traumatic emotional reactions which I'm thankful for. As a matter of fact I feel a lot of gratitude to God."