Animal Bites & Rabies

Rabies is a rare and preventable disease that is primarily spread through animal bites, although it can also be contracted by handling an animal with rabies. If you receive treatment on a timely basis after exposure to rabies, you can expect to be fine. If you do not receive treatment, rabies is fatal. It is vital for you to report any animal bites as soon as they occur. In the past, rabies treatments for humans were a series of extremely painful shots. Today, those shots are not more painful than most vaccines you will receive during your lifetime.

In Oregon, bats are by far the most common carrier of rabies. However, any mammal can have rabies. If you have been bitten by a wild animal of any kind, it is important to seek assistance. It is also important to seek assistance if you have been bitten by a dog or a cat.

IF YOU HAVE BEEN BITTEN BY AN ANIMAL

It is very important for you to report the bite! Call 541-447-5165 . Crook County will provide you with the right resources for assistance and information.

IF YOUR DOG OR CAT BITES A HUMAN

Call 541-447-5165 or fax form to 541-447-3093. By Oregon State law (ORS 433, OAR 333.019 - 0345) dogs and cats that bite humans and break skin must be quarantined and observed for a 10-day period to ensure there are no symptoms of rabies. If an animal is up-to-date on its rabies vaccine, it usually can be observed at home. If an animal is not up-to-date on its rabies vaccine, or if the bite was a particularly dangerous one, the animal may be required to be quarantined and observed at a licensed veterinarian's office. Unless there are serious charges against the dog or its owner, the animal will be returned to the owner at the end of the observation period.