In today’s world, a dog bite can be a frightening experience. It can also be an incredibly tricky situation to navigate, both for the owner and the victim of the bite. Dog bites are not uncommon and can be caused by a variety of factors, including fear, stress, and a lack of proper training. But what happens after a dog bites someone? Does the dog have to be quarantined? Is there a legal obligation for the owner or is it simply the responsible thing to do?
The purpose of this blog post is to explore the topic of quarantine after a dog bites someone. We will review the legal requirements and discuss why it may be the responsible choice for the dog owner. Ultimately, we will look at the importance of understanding the circumstances behind the bite, whether or not quarantine is necessary, and what else needs to be done in order to ensure the safety of everyone involved.
What To Do If Your Dog Bites Someone
Most dogs are required by local law to be quarantined after biting someone. The location and duration of quarantine depend on your dog’s vaccination history. Unvaccinated dogs may need to be put to sleep and tested for rabies. The rabies test necessitates microscopic examination of brain tissue, and your dog cannot pass this test. If local laws permit, you might be able to confine your dog to an animal control facility or veterinary clinic for a period of six months. The dog receives a rabies shot one month before being released from quarantine, and is then permitted to go home if no symptoms of rabies appear. Typically, the dog owner is responsible for the cost of quarantine.
For dogs with expired vaccinations, quarantine may be required. These situations are usually handled on a case-by-case basis. The animal is frequently given a rabies shot right away and kept under quarantine at home for about 45 days. To ensure you are adhering to the quarantine guidelines and to formally release your pet from home quarantine, animal control officers may pay you a visit.
Sometimes quarantine is not necessary for dogs that have received a recent rabies vaccination, but some regions demand a 10-day quarantine. The 10-day quarantine is necessary to ascertain whether the dog was spreading the virus at the time of the bite. It only means that the dog could not have given the person bitten the virus; it does not imply that the dog is free of rabies.
It may take weeks or months for the rabies virus to ascend the nerves and reach the brain. The dog is usually not sick and is not contagious before it enters the brain. The animal is regarded as contagious once the virus enters the brain and salivary glands. In most cases, death happens within 10 days after the virus reaches the brain. At the conclusion of the 10-day quarantine, if your dog is healthy and normal, it is determined that it was not contagious when it bit.
Its for your protection. Its about rabies. Anyone who has been bitten by an animal can contract rabies and pass away painfully. The victim could be forced to receive rabies vaccinations by the authorities, but those shots are expensive and painful. Instead of doing that, the protocol is to keep the dog for 10 days to see if he passes away from rabies. If he doesnt, you get him back. The victim must receive the shots, which are uncomfortable but less so than passing away from the disease if he passes away and tests positive.
It is illegal to fail to quarantine your dog or hide him to avoid a quarantine because rabies is a fatal infection. See for example the California law pertaining to quarantine. Additionally, you could be held liable for failing to quarantine the dog, which would have made the dog bite victim fearful of contracting rabies or forced to receive rabies shots. See Liability for failure to vaccinate.
Your dog didn’t mean to bite you or the person it bit. Tonight your beloved pet is at the animal shelter. Hes in a cage, and hes upset. The animal control officer has informed you that in order to get the dog back, you will need to pay for his boarding. You’ll be imprisoned for 10 days, and it will cost you money.
Wisconsin state law (SS 95. 21) stipulates that any dog or cat that bites a person must be quarantined for ten days in order to be checked for rabies symptoms. This details what such a quarantine entails and provides the justification for the necessity of such actions. Please take note that this information only applies to dogs and cats that have bitten someone, and that the length of the quarantine depends on whether the animal has received its rabies vaccinations recently.
FAQ
What to do with your dog after they bite someone?
As soon as possible, shut the dog in a crate or separate room while giving the bite victim first aid. Make sure to promptly and thoroughly clean any wounds to prevent infection. If the injury warrants, contact 911 for emergency medial attention.
What happens if a dog bites someone once?
In California, when a dog bites someone, the owner must keep them in a ten-day quarantine, either at home or at a county animal care facility, to make sure the dog doesn’t have rabies or any other illnesses that could put the public at risk.
Who decides if a dog is put down after biting someone?
Simply put, the choice is not yours. After an attack, a victim cannot legally demand or ask for the euthanasia of the dog. The dog warden, health division, or police force in your city or county will decide whether to put the dog to sleep.
Why do you have to wait 10 days after a dog bite?
The traditional method of preventing human rabies in dogs and cats that bite humans is a 10-day confinement and observation period. The dog or cat that bit you won’t need to be put down so you can check its brain for the rabies virus during this quarantine period.