If you or your child has been bitten by an animal, you might be worried about getting rabies or having to get rabies shots. That’s not likely if the animal was a pet dog or cat in the United States, thanks to laws requiring rabies vaccinations for those companion animals (and sometimes ferrets). But, of course, not everyone follows those laws and keeps vaccinations current. And the risk of rabies is real if you were bitten by a feral cat, stray dog, or a wild animal. Out of all the rabies cases reported to the federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), more than 90% involved wild mammals—especially bats, raccoons, and skunks.
What to Do After an Animal Bite
Even if the risk of rabies is low, you should take action whenever you’ve been bitten by an animal:
- As soon as possible, wash the wound thoroughly with soap and water to reduce your chances of getting an infection, including rabies.
- Meanwhile, if the animal’s owner is nearby, get that person’s name and contact information.
- Get prompt medical attention. After treating your injuries, your doctor should be able to tell you whether you’ll need a rabies vaccination (more on that below).
- If your health provider hasn’t already done so, make sure you report the incident to your local animal control or health department, so that officials can try to locate the animal or its owner.
To learn more about the risk, transmission, and treatment of rabies, see the CDC’s rabies homepage.
When Do You Need a Rabies Vaccine?
If you’ve been exposed to rabies, the vaccine (known as postexposure prophylaxis) can prevent you from getting the disease. Although the vaccine still involves a series of shots over a two-week period, those shots aren’t nearly as painful as they used to be. They’re now administered in the arm and are about as uncomfortable as a flu shot.
The trouble with an animal bite is that you don’t necessarily know whether you’ve been exposed to rabies. Depending on the animal involved, you’ll basically face three options:
- Wait and see. If you were bitten by a pet dog, cat, or ferret that appears to be healthy and is available for a 10-day quarantine or observation, you probably won’t have to get the shots.
- Check with authorities. If the guilty dog, cat, or ferret has escaped and can’t be located, local public health officials can give advice about whether you should get the vaccine, based largely on reported cases of rabies in your area. The same is true if you were bitten by a small rodent (other than a bat) or livestock like a horse or cow.
- Get the shots. If the bite came from a bat, raccoon, skunk, fox, or another wild, carnivorous mammal, you should consider starting the vaccination process right away unless the animal was caught, tested, and found free of rabies.
Legal Requirements for Owners to Vaccinate Pets From Rabies
Most U.S. states have legal standards for regular vaccination of pet dogs, cats, and ferrets, although some states leave those standards up to local governments. Your vet or the local animal control agency should be able to tell you when and how often you need to get your pet vaccinated for rabies and other diseases. Not properly vaccinating your animal may violate state law or a local ordinance and result in a civil fine or criminal infraction.
Animal Bites: Criminal and Civil Liability for Owners
If your animal has bitten someone, you should be prepared to give the victim your contact information, along with information about your pet’s vaccination status. In California, you can be charged with a criminal infraction if you don’t do this within 48 hours after the incident. (Cal. Penal Code § 398 (2022).)
Typically, you must make your dog, cat, or ferret available for quarantine and observation for 10 days after the bite, even if it has been vaccinated. Health officials or a vet will monitor the animal for signs of rabies. In most cases, the quarantine/observation may be in your home. Under certain conditions, including when it’s considered necessary for human health, authorities could destroy your animal for rabies testing. Failure to obey a health official or vet’s orders regarding quarantine and observation or examination of the animal can result in criminal charges. For instance, Illinois makes it a class A misdemeanor to refuse or fail to immediately comply with a rabies examination order. (510 Ill. Comp. Stat § 5/13 (2022).)
As the dog's owner, you could also be legally responsible for the medical expenses and other losses if the bite victim files a personal injury claim or lawsuit. Many states have laws that make owners liable for dog bites even if the animal didn’t have a history of biting or the owner wasn’t careless. If the victim is threatening to sue or has already done so, you should speak to a personal injury or animal law attorney who can help defend your rights.