[Update 12/31/24: owner located; situation has been resolved.]
(ITHACA, NY, December 30, 2024) – Tompkins County Whole Health’s Environmental Health Division (EH) must locate a dog that bit a person on Sunday, December 29, 2024, at approximately 3:30 PM, on the Beebe Lake Trail near Forest Home Drive (Ithaca).
The person who was bit reported they were walking along Beebe Lake when they walked past two leashed dogs. One dog was described as a yellow Labrador about 70 pounds in weight and the other dog was describes a chocolate Labrador, wearing a prong collar and also about 70 pounds in weight. The person who was bit reported they were bitten by the chocolate Labrador as they were reaching to pet the yellow Labrador.
The person walking the two dogs was described as a middle-aged white male with light or salt and pepper hair, round glasses and about 6 feet in height.
EH seeks to verify vaccination status and the health of the biting dog through an at home observation over a ten-day period. If the dog can be located and observed to be healthy by EH, the risk of rabies transmission can be ruled out and rabies post-exposure treatment for the person who was bitten will not be necessary.
Anyone with information regarding this dog is urged to call EH at (607) 274-6688. Staff are available at this number to take calls related to rabies and bites, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.
We would like to remind the public the importance of getting bites checked as soon as possible to determine if rabies post-exposure treatment is needed.
Tompkins County Whole Health reminds everyone to:
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Avoid contact with any unfamiliar cats or dogs and any wild animals.
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All cats, dogs and ferrets must have initial rabies vaccinations administered no later than four months of age. Keep vaccinations current!