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1. What should I do if I am bitten by an animal?

Any warm-blooded animal (dog, cat, skunk, fox, bat, etc.) may have rabies. Any animal bite should be treated as serious. The following precautions should be taken if you are bitten:

• Immediately wash the wound thoroughly with soap and water.
• Identify the animal. If the animal is an owned dog or cat, find out if the animal is currently vaccinated for rabies.
• Consult a physician as soon as possible. Your physician will determine whether anti-rabies treatment is needed.
  After seeking medical treatment, you must contact Irving Animal Services to report the bite so an investigation can be completed to determine if the biting animal needs to be quarantined or tested for rabies.
  

2. 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 is the Local Rabies Control Authority (LRCA). For the City of Irving, the LRCA is the Animal Services Manager. Contact 972-721-2256 to report animal bites in Irving.

3. What happens to the animal that bites someone?

• Dog & Cats (Domestic)
  Regardless of vaccination status, the dog or cat must be quarantined for 10 days or be humanely destroyed. If the animal is humanely destroyed, the brain must be submitted to a rabies laboratory for testing. If the animal is to be quarantined, the 10-day observation period begins on the day the bite occurred.
• High-Risk Animals
  Skunks, bats, foxes, coyotes and raccoons must be humanely destroyed. The brain will be submitted to a laboratory for rabies testing.
• Low-Risk Animals
  Some animals, like opossums, shrews, moles, squirrels, gophers, mice, rabbits, rats, and armadillos do not need to be quarantined or tested unless the LRCA has reason to believe that the biting animal has rabies.
• Other Biting Animals
  All biting animals, high or low-risk, that are not categorized as domestic dogs or cats should be humanely destroyed and tested. However, current rules allow a 30-day quarantine as an alternative to testing.

4. What is quarantine?

Quarantine means placing the animal in a facility which provides:

• Absolute security (no escape possible)
• Isolation (no contact with other animals or persons)
• Daily observation by a qualified person

Quarantine must be in one of the following facilities:

• An animal shelter with quarantine facilities approved by the Texas Department of State Health Services (DSHS)
• A veterinary clinic operated by a licensed veterinarian

The DSHS is responsible for inspection of all quarantine facilities in an animal shelter, however, the LRCA is responsible for the proper handling and observation of all animals being quarantined.

5. What if the animal gets sick while in quarantine?

The animal should be examined by a veterinarian and if it is determined that it shows clinical signs of rabies, the LRCA must submit the brain for testing. If the animal dies, the brain must be submitted for rabies testing.

6. Who pays for quarantine?

The owner of the biting animal is required by state law to pay the cost of the quarantine.