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~ WHEN ANIMALS BITE ~
What should you do if you are bitten by an animal?
Any time a warm blooded animal
(dog,cat,fox,bat, etc..)bites a person, there is a danger that the animal
is infected with rabies.
Therefore , the following precautions should
be taken:
Indentify the animal. If it is an owned
dog or cat, it may be quarantined and observed for signs of rabies. If
it is a wild carnivore or bat, the animal needs to be removed by the animal
control officer and sent out for labortory testing to determine if the
animal was incubating rabies when it bit you.
Immediately wash the wound thouroughly
with soap and hot water as a first aid procedure.
Consult a physician as soon as possible
to determine whether anti-rabies treatment is needed.
Contact the animal control or animal
inspector immediately to report the bite.
When an animal bites a person, who is in
charge?
All cities, towns and counties
must designate someone to handle animal bite cases.
This person can be an animal control officer; animal inspector;
peace officer; health officer; or any other person that can carry out the
duties.
This assigned person, usually your animal control officer
or animal inspector is responsible for investigating
animal bites and for the proper management
of the biting animal.
What happens to the animal that bites?
high risk animals:Skunks, bats, foxes,
coyotes, raccoons, and opossums must be humanely destroyed, and their heads
must be submitted for rabies testing
Low risk animals: shrew, moles, squirrels,
mice, rabbits, rats. Generally these animals do not need testing, if there
is reason to believe a problem then the animal would be sent out for testing.
Dogs and cats: Regardless of vaccination
status,the dog or cat must be quarantined at home For 10 days by it's owner,
or in a suitable facility approved by the animal inspector, or the animal
can be humanely destroyed if the owner is not willing to handle the pet
for 10 days; in this case the head will need to be sent out for testing.
The 10 day period begins on the day of the bite.
What if an animal appears sick while in
quarantine?
The animal should be examined by a veterinarian
immediately and if determined that it is showing signs of rabies,
the veterinarian or the animal inspector will submit the animal's head
for testing.
The person bitten will be contacted
by the animal inspector so that consultation on rabies treatment can be
obtained.
If the animal dies while in quaratine,
contact your vet or the animal inspector immediately, so the head can be
sent out for rabies testing.
Rabies vaccination--- according to Mass.
state law.
Mass state law requires all
dogs and cats to be rabies vaccinated starting at 12 weeks of age. Regardless
of whether your pet goes out doors or not!!!
Your pets first rabies vaccine
will be good for 9-12 months, after this time
your pet is required to obtain a second rabies vaccine, this vaccine is
then good for 3 years.
Please remember: your pet under
the law, is considered unvaccinated if he/she is only 1 day late for the
required second rabies vaccine!!
Rabies vaccines can only be given to your
pet by a licensed veterinarian.
Any questions contact your local Animal control officer/Animal
inspector or board of health
Home
~ Wildlife Infomation ~ Amesbury,
MA Pet By-Laws ~ Geese Adoption
Design by Bonnie Buckley - Former Amesbury,
MA Animal Control Officer
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