Veterinary Public Health

Resources for Animal Control and Shelter Staff

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On this page, you will find resources and recommended practices for animal control agencies and shelter staff who collaborate with our program to accomplish rabies control and animal disease surveillance in Los Angeles County (LAC).

Shelter Rabies Control FAQ Manual

Shelter Rabies Control FAQ Manual (PDF) (printable version: color printing recommended (PDF))

Developed in 2019, this manual contains information to aid animal control agencies in carrying out efficient and proper rabies control in Los Angeles County. Sections include: Bite reporting, quarantine information, specimen preparation instructions, the importance of bats and rabies, medical foster/transfers of quarantine, rabies vaccination of pets, and frequently asked questions about each topic. This resource is designed for all shelter staff and supervisors (current and new).

Rabies Control Webinar

Rabies is one of the deadliest infectious diseases affecting animals and people. In Los Angeles, the last local dog with the virus was identified in the 1960s. Rabies still exists in bats in Los Angeles County, which may be a source of infection to people and animals.

This webinar was recorded on January 9th, 2017 and is designed to highlight the risk of rabies in Los Angeles County*. It also provides an overview of existing protocols for animal shelter staff and the Department of Public Health for the shared responsibility of local rabies control efforts.

The webinar is divided into 3 parts:

  1. Background on rabies
  2. Bite reporting
  3. Animal quarantine and rabies testing

* The information presented refers to Los Angeles County ONLY, up to 2016. The local risk of rabies may change over time and is different in other parts of the US or the world.

Please take the training quiz/evaluation afterwards to receive a certificate of completion.

Bite Reporting Forms

These forms were updated in 2019. Please check to ensure that your agency is using the most up-to-date forms and notify all staff that previous versions should no longer be used. We strongly recommend emailing all forms to vet@ph.lacounty.gov in lieu of faxing. Remember that any person with knowledge of the bite is legally required to report the incident. Even if you are unsure if another agency already reported the incident, it is always recommended to submit a report from your agency. All bite reports should be completely filled out, initialed, legible and sent to VPH as soon as possible.

All forms were updated in April 2022 - please use these new forms for reporting.

What Is a Rabies Reportable Incident vs. a Not Reportable Incident?

All animal bites to humans are reportable by law to the Department of Public Health, except for bites from rodents, rabbits, squirrels, birds and reptiles. Any person with knowledge of the bite is legally required to report the bite. If you are unsure or have questions, please call us Monday-Friday 8am-5pm at 213-288-7060 or email us at vet@ph.lacounty.gov. See the documents below and consider posting them for all staff (especially those interacting with the public) to easily refer to.

How to Properly Submit a Specimen for Rabies Testing

As rabies can be fatal, testing specimens for rabies plays a crucial role in determining if a person needs immediate rabies treatment (post-exposure prophylaxis) after a bite or a bat exposure. It also determines rabies quarantine lengths for pets exposed to wildlife and provides us with vital information about the species of animals in Los Angeles County that are infected with the disease.

Bite reports that include specimen submissions must be fully completed and submitted to VPH as soon as possible (email to vet@ph.lacounty.gov). Delays in reporting result in delays in testing which can have a detrimental effect on a bite victim's health.

Specimens must be prepared properly, according to the step-by-step instructions below. Improperly prepared submissions will be returned to the shelter and re-delivery of the specimen to the Public Health Laboratory will be the responsibility of the submitting agency. Consider posting these instructions for staff to refer to easily.

For rabies-suspect animals that did not bite a human, follow the same instructions for preparation and submit a bite report form with 'NO PERSON BITTEN' clearly written in the 'Victim Name' field.

Always check to ensure that your refrigerator is working properly. Specimens that are decomposed or improperly stored may not be suitable for testing.

If a specimen has been sitting in the refrigerator for a few days, please call us immediately at 213-288-7060 to verify that we received the bite report and to let us know that you have a submission ready for pick-up. Use the specimen communication log below to ensure efficient communication between VPH and your agency. Consider posting this log on the specimen refrigerator or in an accessible location to our staff.

How Long Is This Animal Quarantined For?

Length of the rabies quarantine of animals depends on the type of bite incident (animal bite to human or domestic vs. wild mammal). Most quarantines are accomplished at home, but can also be completed at a shelter or a veterinary clinic if that facility is willing to abide by local and state rabies quarantine laws. Rabies quarantine starts the day of the bite incident, even if the bite report is not received or processed until later (e.g. weekend or holiday). Official releases from quarantine can only be granted from the Department of Public Health.

The following documents should be used to quickly determine an animal's quarantine length. Consider posting this document for all staff to easily refer to (especially those answering questions for the public). Any questions about rabies quarantine should be directed to us at 213-288-7060 or at vet@ph.lacounty.gov.

Remember that the following should be reported to VPH immediately, for any animal under quarantine:

  • Animal becomes sick during quarantine
  • Animal dies during quarantine
  • Animal is euthanized during quarantine

Humane Euthanasia of an Animal During a Rabies Quarantine

It is not allowable to euthanize an animal (except for irremediable suffering) during a rabies quarantine unless permission is granted by Veterinary Public Health. Call us at 213-288-7060 for more information.

Any animal that is euthanized during a rabies quarantine must be prepared for rabies testing. Refer to the section about proper submission of a specimen for rabies testing.

Medical Foster/Transfer of a Rabies Quarantine

Some pets that are subject to the 180 day rabies quarantine may be eligible to transfer to a foster/home quarantine after completing the first 10 weeks at a shelter. The following documents detail the requirements that must be fulfilled before a transfer will be considered by Veterinary Public Health. If any of the requirements are not met, the pet is not eligible to be transferred. Checklists have been provided for the medical foster applicant, the shelter, and the veterinarian overseeing care to ensure that all parties are aware of their liabilities and responsibilities.

Rabies Vaccination of Pets

Rabies vaccination of dogs is mandatory in the State of California. Some LA County cities enforce rabies vaccination of cats. As of January 2014, the earliest age that dogs and cats can be vaccinated for rabies is 3 months of age.

When an animal is under rabies quarantine, when is the correct time to vaccinate them for rabies? Refer to the following document and consider posting for medical staff to easily refer to:

Some pets have foreign rabies vaccination certificates and documentation. Refer to the California Department of Public Health (CDPH) Compendium (PDF) to verify if the foreign rabies vaccine is accepted by the California Rabies Control Program. If the foreign rabies vaccine is not on this list (updated 2019) then a rabies vaccination booster must be given. Call VPH at 213-288-7060 or email vet@ph.lacounty.gov with questions.

Bats and Rabies in Los Angeles County

Bats are the number one source of rabies in Los Angeles County and bites from bats are the leading cause of human deaths from rabies in the United States. Only about 1% of bats in nature have rabies. However, bats that fly during daylight or have encounters with people and pets are more likely to be rabid - about 10-15% of these bats test positive for rabies in our county. Bats found inside of a home (and were not seen entering) pose an especially high risk to the people sleeping inside the home. Some bats have very tiny teeth and their bite may not wake a sleeping or incapacitated person. Children are especially vulnerable as they may not admit that a bat was touched or that they were bitten.

Bats should never be handled with bare hands. If a bat is found inside of a home or is found acting abnormally (out during the day, on the ground, not flying away when approached, not moving), a box should be placed over the bat to prevent someone from touching it, and the local animal control should be contacted to retrieve the bat.

Bats are protected wildlife and should not be harassed or harmed. Bats that are acting normally or roosting (nesting) outside of homes or businesses, that have not exposed humans or pets should not be reported to animal control. Professional bat exclusion companies should be consulted to exclude roosting bats from a property (they are not to be exterminated). If you are unsure about your exposure to a bat, call Veterinary Public Health at 213-288-7060 or email vet@ph.lacounty.gov.

Additional Resources