(Ithaca, N.Y., August 26, 2022) – The Tompkins County Health Department must locate a dog that bit a person on Wednesday, August 24, 2022, at approximately 2:30 PM, in the Mulholland Wildflower Preserve located off of Giles Street in Ithaca. The bite occurred approximately halfway between 1st and 2nd dam.
The dog is described as one of two medium-to-large black dogs that were being walked on leashes. The person walking the dogs was described as a white male with dreadlocks, who was walking with a woman.
The Department seeks to verify vaccination status and 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 the Department, the risk of rabies infection 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 the Tompkins County Environmental Health Division at (607) 274-6688. Staff are on-call at this number to field calls related to rabies and bites, 24/7.
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. Please keep pets up-to-date on their rabies vaccinations and do not approach wildlife.
Further information can be found at: tompkinscountyny.gov/health/eh/rabies.
The Tompkins County Health Department is your partner for a healthy community. Find us online at TompkinsCountyNY.gov/health, and follow us on Facebook at Facebook.com/TompkinsPublicHealth and on Twitter at @TompkinsHealth. Sign up to receive COVID-19 updates or other county announcements via email or text.
Media contact: Samantha Hillson, shillson@tompkins-co.org
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