Animal Bites

You should seek medical attention from your family physician or local health centre if you are bitten by an animal and the bite breaks the surface of your skin. Health centres and physicians report all animal bites to Public Health.

Public Health Inspectors investigate each case to ensure there is no possibility of rabies. Any animal that bites a person should be observed for 10 days to be sure that it does not develop rabies symptoms.

Do not destroy the animal before the 10 day observation period is over.

Contact your Public Health Inspector for more details. The Medical Health Officer may recommend rabies vaccine if there is a significant risk. Rabies vaccine is given to animal bite victims if the biting animal is rabid or if the biting animal cannot be found and observed for 10 days.

Confidentiality

Only information that is essential for the animal bite investigation will be shared.

Service Providers

Public Health Inspectors, Medical Health Officer, CD/Immunization Coordinator.