Animal Bites & Rabies

At the scene of the bite

• Check to see if the bite broke the skin before the pet’s owner leaves the scene. Don’t wait to check until you get home.
• Ask the owner to call their vet to find out if the pet is up to date on rabies shots.
• Exchange names and phone numbers with the owner. You may need to contact them for follow up questions.

Once you’re safe

Report the bite to us.

Any dog or cat that bites will be quarantined for 10 days and checked for signs of rabies. If there are no signs of rabies after 10 days, you and/or your pet do not need post exposure rabies shots.

If you can’t find the animal that bit you, or it shows signs of rabies, you need to see a doctor right away for treatment.

Bat bites are hard to see because their teeth are small and bite marks can disappear quickly.

If a bat was in a room while someone was sleeping or intoxicated, or was with a child or pet alone, do not set it free.

• Safely capture the bat. It needs to be tested for rabies. Call us if you need help capturing the bat.
• Between 8:00 am – 5:30 pm, call 608-255-2345 and ask for Animal Services. We’ll pick up the bat and have it tested.
• Between 5:30 pm - 8:00 am, capture the bat and keep it in a safe place. Call us after 8:00 am the next day for pick up and testing.

If you have a bat in your home and are certain that no people or pets have come in contact with it

• Confine it to a room. Close all doors and windows except those that lead outside. This will give it a chance to leave.
• If you can’t get the bat out:
  • Between 8:00 am – 5:30 pm, call 608-255-2345 and ask for Animal Services. We’ll help you get the bat out.
  • Between 5:30 pm - 8:00 am, keep it in a room without people or pets. Call us at 8:00 am if the bat is still in the room. We’ll help you get the bat out.

If you or your pet were bitten:

• Report the bite to us.
• We may be able to help capture the animal if it’s in your home. Call 608-255-2345 for help. Our officers are on duty from 8:00 am - 5:30 pm seven days a week.
• If you need to kill the animal, don’t damage the head. We’ll send the animal to a lab for rabies testing. Put the animal in a refrigerator if it can’t be picked up the same day.
  • Rabies test results are usually available within a day. We call you with results as soon as possible. If we can’t reach you by phone, we’ll send the results in the mail.
  • If the rabies test is positive, you should get rabies shots as soon as possible.
  • If the rabies test is negative, you did not get rabies from the bite.
• If the animal wasn’t captured, or if the rabies test was indeterminate (uncertain)
  • If you were bitten: Talk to a doctor. You may need rabies shots as soon as possible.
  • If your pet was bitten: Take them to a veterinarian as soon as possible. You may need to quarantine your pet. If so, it must be kept at home, away from other animals, and have limited contact with people.
    • 60-day quarantine: If you pet has had its rabies shots, it will be in a 60-day quarantine. It will immediately get an additional rabies shot.
    • 6-month quarantine: If your pet has not had its rabies shots it will be in a 6-month quarantine. It will get a rabies shot in the 5th month of quarantine. Your pet will need to be tested if the vet thinks it has rabies.