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 Animal Bites: Facts and What to Do

 Richardson Animal Services (RAS) is the Local Rabies Control Authority if a bite occurs in the city of Richardson.

What To Do If You Get Bitten:

  • If possible, get away to a safe place.
  • Get Owner Contact information RIGHT AWAY so rabies vaccine status can by verified by RAS and/or a hospital.
  • Wash the wound thoroughly with Soap AND Water.
  • Seek medical advice or exam from a healthcare provider.
  • Report the Bite to Richardson Animal Services.

What Happens When You Report A Bite:reportbite

  • It is mandatory by STATE LAW (Texas Health and Safety Code Title 10: Chapter 826: Subchapter E) for the bite to be reported and for the animal(s) to be quarantined
  • Owner will be contacted about the Rabies Quarantine so there pet can be properly quarantined

 

 

What is Rabies Quarantine?:

  • Rabies Quarantine is an observation period to see if the animal(s) are showing any signs of rabies
    • It is to keep the owner and the victim of the bite safe as Rabies Vaccination Shots do NOT provide a 100% guarantee that the rabies virus will not be passed on
  • Rabies Quarantine does not mean your pet is bad
  • During the observation period your pet(s) cannot receive a rabies shot until after it is cleared
  • Quarantine can be completed in a state-approved quarantine facility. Richardson Animal Services as well as any licensed veterinary clinic are state-approved quarantine facilities.
    • In certain situations, a home quarantine (in the owner's home) may be approved should the state and local requirements be met and the Local Rabies Control Authority agree to the arrangement.
    • Richardson Animal Services recommends that the quarantine be done at the veterinary clinic of the owner's choosing to protect their pet's health. Animals taken into any animal shelter risk being exposed to illness from the animals that are picked up at-large in the City.

How to Prevent Animal Bites:

  • Respect and Pay Attention to an animal's body language
    • An animal growling and snarling at you does NOT want to be friends or want you to touch them. That privilege has to be earned.
  • Do NOT make sudden movements or high-pitched noises
    • An animal might feel that they have to protect and defend themselves
  • Always ask permission to pet someone's animal
    • Owners should know how their pet reacts to new people and things
    • The owner needs to introduce you to their pet to show you are not a danger
  • Do NOT pull the animal's ears or tail
  • Do NOT bother the animal while they are sleeping or eating
  • Do NOT leave babies or young children unsupervised with an animal
    • They do not know how to read an animal's body language and could get bitten

These Rabies Quarantine Rules and Info applies to domesticated cats, dogs, and ferrets as well.

Some Clinical Signs of Rabies are:                   

  • Change in behavior
  • Unexplained paralysis
  • Not eating
  • Pawing at the mouth
  • Difficulty in swallowing
  • Seizures
  • Excessive salivation

Level of Risk of Rabies Exposure: (Remember to respect Wildlife and Pet's Personal Space to prevent any bites or exposure. Keep your distance!)

  • High Risk: Skunks, Bats, Foxes, Coyotes, and Raccoons
  • Low Risk: Rodents, Moles, Shrews, Opossums, Rabbits, and Armadillos

QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS ABOUT DOG AND CAT QUARANTINE AT THE RICHARDSON ANIMAL SHELTER

Dear Animal Owner:
In accordance with the laws of the State of Texas and the City of Richardson your animal is required to be placed in quarantine. Below are some common questions asked about this procedure.

WHAT IS QUARANTINE?
Quarantine means placing the animal in a facility which provides the following:
   (1) ABSOLUTE SECURITY (NO ESCAPE POSSIBLE)
   (2) ISOLATION (NO CONTACT WITH OTHER ANIMALS OR PERSONS)
   (3) OBSERVATION BY A QUALIFIED PERSON

DOES MY ANIMAL HAVE TO BE DESTROYED?
No.  Quarantine is actually a way of protecting the public against rabies without having to destroy the animal. If facilities and procedures for holding and observing biting animals were not available, they would have to be destroyed and tested. Only animals that show clinical signs of rabies during the quarantine period are destroyed and tested. This happens very rarely.

MY ANIMAL HAS BEEN VACCINATED FOR RABIES. DOES IT STILL HAVE TO BE QUARANTINED?
Yes. The law requires quarantine regardless of vaccination status.

WHERE DOES QUARANTINE TAKE PLACE?
Quarantine must be in one of the following facilities:
1. The City of Richardson Animal Shelter
2. A veterinary clinic that is operated by a licensed veterinarian within the city limits of Richardson unless the approval has been received from the Supervisor of Animal Services for a clinic outside of the city.

MAY I VISIT MY ANIMAL?
Yes. But you may not have direct contact with your pet.

WHAT ABOUT HOME QUARANTINE?
Under very limited situations, the Manager of Animal Services may authorize a home quarantine if:
1. The biting animal was currently vaccinated.  This means (a) the animal must have been at least three months of age at the time of the vaccination;  (b) at least 30 days have elapsed since the initial vaccination;  (c) not more than twelve months (or thirty six months, depending on the vaccine administered by your veterinarian) have elapsed since the most recent vaccination.  A rabies vaccination certificate that has been signed by a licensed veterinarian is the only acceptable proof of vaccination.
2. The biting animal was on the premises of the owner of keeper.
3. The victim was a family member of the owner.
4. The owner's home has a facility, which will provide the required security (no escape) and isolation (no contact) described above.  "Tying up an animal" for ten days does not meet this requirement.
5. Animal Services is granted access to the property for required observation of the animal during the entire quarantine period.
6. The owner agrees to keep the animal under quarantine at the specified address until release by the Animal Services.

The home quarantine may be revoked, and the owner cited for quarantine violation if it is determined that the owner is not complying with the requirements for security and isolation of the animal.

HOW LONG IS THE QUARANTINE PERIOD?
If a dog or cat is to be quarantined, a ten-day observation period begins on the day the bite occurred.

WHAT WILL HAPPEN AFTER THE QUARANTINE PERIOD? 
The animal will be released to you on the last day of the completion of the required observation period (240 hours from the time of the bite) if it shows no clinical signs of rabies.  You will be required to pay a fee if it was quarantined at the City Of Richardson Animal Shelter or your veterinarian's fee if it was quarantined at a veterinary clinic. If the animal is not currently vaccinated for rabies it must be vaccinated, at your expense, within 48 hours after being released. If the animal was quarantined at a home facility, you will receive an official release from quarantine after the animal is observed on the last day of quarantine. There is no fee for home quarantine.

WHAT HAPPENS IF PEOPLE DON'T COMPLY WITH QUARANTINE REQUIREMENTS? 
Most people do comply.  They understand that quarantine is simply a necessary measure for protecting the public health. It does not mean that they or their animal are "bad" in any way. For those few people whom do not comply, Richardson Animal Services is empowered to issue citations for any and all violations. They are also authorized to obtain a warrant to seize the animal for the remainder of the quarantine period.

WHAT IF I HAVE MORE QUESTIONS?
Please contact the Richardson Animal Services at 972-744-4480.

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