Q. What are the telephone numbers for Baltimore County agencies that I should contact with questions about rabies?
A. Important Telephone Numbers
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Q. What should I do if I am bitten by a dog, cat or ferret?
A. Flush and clean the wound(s) immediately with warm, soapy water and then apply an antiseptic. Contact your Health Care Provider for further instructions, including the need for tetanus immunization and/or antibiotics to control bacterial infection. If the biting animal is obviously sick, behaving abnormally, or if the injury is serious, go to the nearest emergency room for evaluation.
The risk of rabies from bites inflicted by apparently healthy dogs, cats, ferrets can be dismissed if the animal is confined (usually by the owner) and observed as healthy for the prescribed 10 days following the bite. No person in the United States has ever contracted rabies from a dog, cat or ferret which has held in quarantine for 10 days.
Unless the animal is healthy and the owner is well known to you, report bites to the Police Department by calling 911 or 410-887-2222. Reporting the bite to the Police begins a process that helps insure that the bite case is properly managed.
In most cases, bites inflicted by an animal owned by a close friend or relative can be handled informally by the parties themselves by just observing the animal for the 10 days after the bite as described above. In these situations, calling the Police is at the discretion of the parties involved, but if the Police are not called, be sure to contact the Department of Health at 410-887-2724 the next business day to verify the control plan.
If the animal is a stray and can be safely confined, also contact Animal Control at 410-887-5961 to arrange for pickup. If you have questions about your bite case or how the animal should be managed with regards to the rabies risk, call the Baltimore County Department of Health at 410-887-2724 on the next business day. If you have concerns about an ongoing bite threat an animal poses, notify Animal Control at the number given above.
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Q. What should I do if a wild animal bites me?
A. Animals carrying the highest risk of rabies in the Baltimore area are: raccoons, foxes, bats, skunks, and groundhogs. Feral or “wild “ cats can be included in this high-risk category but exposure to them is managed the same way as exposure to domestic cats assuming the feral cat is available for observation or testing. Small rodents and rabbits are seldom found to be rabid and bites inflicted by them rarely call for anti-rabies immunizations. Extensive information on rabies can be found online at the Center for Disease Control and Prevention web site.
It is recommended further that a person bitten by any wild animal, especially those identified as high-risk, should seek immediate medical evaluation. As with domestic animals, if the biting animal can be safely confined or captured contact Animal Control at 410-887-5961 for pickup (the animal will be tested). The Police should also be notified of wild animal bites to help further insure the incident is properly handled.
| It is also important to teach children to never attempt to pet or touch wild animals, stray dogs or cats. |
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Q. What about protecting my pet from rabies?
A. In Maryland, rabies is found in several wildlife species, so its important to keep your pet's rabies vaccination up to date. This protects your pet, your family and the community, and provides a barrier between wildlife rabies, your family, and the community.
Take advantage of the Animal Shelter's weekly clinics, which are held each Thursday, by appointment. During May and June, the Department's Communicable Disease Division holds low cost Rabies clinics at area schools. Rabies vaccinations and licenses are required for all cats and dogs over three months of age. You must provide proof of a current Rabies vaccination in order to purchase a license. Licenses (PDF) are also available at the Bureau of Miscellaneous Permits located at the County Office Buidling, the Humane Society of Baltimore County, and at all public libraries. When you purchase a license, a renewal form will be mailed to you when it is time to purchase a new one.
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Revised June 5, 2007
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