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Animal Bites and Rabies
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ):
 What
is the role of Bethlehem’s Animal Control?
The role of the animal control officer in the City of Bethlehem
is to:
- Enforce Pennsylvania Dog Laws
- Transport stray domesticated dogs and cats to the local
animal shelter
- Respond to instances where bats are found in a City of
Bethlehem home
- Assist Bethlehem Health Bureau staff in ensuring compliance
in animal exposure investigations
- Issue citations to owners who are non-compliant with
PA Dog Laws and City of Bethlehem ordinances that relate
to animals and animal ownership.
How do I relinquish (give
up) my cat or dog?
If the owner of a domesticated dog and/or cat chooses to
relinquish (give up) their animal, they are responsible for
locating and contacting a local animal shelter to surrender
their animal to.
Where can I find information
on PA Dog Laws and animal-related City of Bethlehem ordinances?
For information regarding PA Dog Laws:
PA
Department of Agriculture - PA Dog Laws
Please note that the Pennsylvania Rabies Prevention and Control
in Domestic Animals and Wildlife Act mandates that all domesticated
dogs and cats over the age of three months be vaccinated against
rabies.
In the State of Pennsylvania, all dogs three months of age
or older must be licensed. This license must be renewed at
the beginning of every calendar year.
For information regarding City of Bethlehem ordinances relating
to animals:
What should I do if I receive
a bite or scratch from a domesticated, wild or stray animal?
 In
Pennsylvania, when a person seeks medical treatment from a
doctor, hospital, school nurse, or other medical professional
for an animal bite, scratch, or general exposure, by law the
incident must be reported to the local health bureau. Citizens
may also directly contact the Bethlehem Health Bureau to report
an animal exposure.
The Bethlehem Health Bureau investigates all reported animal
bites, scratches, and other types of exposures, where the
offending domesticated animal resides in the City of Bethlehem
or, in the event the animal is wild or a stray, when the incident
occurs in the City of Bethlehem. The purpose of the investigation
is to assure the health of the animal, thereby ensuring the
health of the victim.
Animal Owners:
In an investigation, owners of domesticated dogs and cats
are required to provide proof that their animal is up to date
on its rabies vaccine. All domesticated dogs and cats over
the age of three months residing in Pennsylvania must be kept
up to date on rabies vaccine. In addition to providing the
animal’s rabies vaccination information, owners are
required to quarantine their dog or cat for a period of ten
days, as an additional measure to assure the health of the
animal.
Victims:
Victims of animal bites, scratches, and other exposures should
seek medical attention and verify:
- the identity of the animal
- the animal owner’s name & address
- that the animal appears to be in good health
- that it has been vaccinated for rabies and where it received
that vaccine
It is imperative that victims provide this information to
the Bethlehem Health Bureau to ensure that a thorough and
accurate investigation is conducted
Stray Animals:
If the offending animal is a stray cat or dog, it is important
that the victim attempt to identify the person responsible
for the animal or contact the Bethlehem Police Department
at 610-865-7187, so that appropriate confinement measures
can be taken to ensure the animal did not have the rabies
virus in its saliva at the time of the bite. If the animal
is seen again roaming free, contact the Bethlehem Police to
report the animal running loose. Please let the police know
that the animal has bitten someone so they can attempt to
capture and appropriately quarantine the animal. The victim
should initially verify that the stray animal appears to be
in good health. If you become aware that the animal shows
signs of illness, change in its usual behavior, or dies, you
should contact a veterinarian and the Bethlehem Health Bureau
immediately at (610) 865-7087.
If the stray cat or dog cannot be confined and observed for
ten days and there is no proof that it had been protected
with rabies vaccination, it is advisable that the person exposed
receive the rabies post-exposure prophylaxis by arrangement
with a hospital emergency department.
Wild Animals:
 Victims
that were bitten or scratched by a wild animal and the animal
was captured and sent for rabies testing will be contacted
by a representative from the Bethlehem Health Bureau with
the rabies test results and follow up recommendations. If
the wild animal was not captured and sent for rabies testing,
it is recommended that the victim receive the rabies post-exposure
prophylaxis, which can be obtained only from a hospital emergency
department.
What should I do if my cat or
dog is bitten by another animal?
If your domesticated dog or cat is bitten by another animal,
whether it is domesticated, stray, or wild, you should seek
the advice and/or care of a veterinarian for appropriate follow-up.
When an animal is bitten by another animal and there is no
human exposure, the incident is not reportable to the Bethlehem
Health Bureau.
What should I do if I believe
a bat bit or scratched me, or if I find a bat in my home?
Wild mammals, such as bats, can have rabies and may transmit
it to people. Not all bats carry rabies, however, if you have
been exposed to a bat, it is imperative that you take the
necessary steps to determine what type of exposure occurred
and what the appropriate response should be. Below are the
most common examples of human interactions with bats:
 If
you woke up to find a bat in your bedroom, or any room that
you were sleeping in, you should attempt to safely capture
the bat and bring it to a veterinarian so that it can be humanely
euthanized and sent for rabies testing. If the bat tests positive
for rabies, it is recommended that you receive rabies post
exposure prophylaxis, as you may have been bitten or scratched
by the bat in your sleep.
If you were awake and received a bat bite, scratch, or if
the bat’s saliva got into your eye, nose, mouth, or
wound, the affected area should be washed thoroughly and medical
advice should be sought. The offending bat should be humanely
euthanized by a veterinarian and tested for rabies. If the
bat tests positive for rabies, it may be recommended that
you receive rabies post exposure prophylaxis.
If you entered a room in your home and found a bat but did
not have any contact with it, you were most likely not exposed.
In this situation you could open a window and close all doors
in that room and the bat will most likely fly out on its own.
You may also attempt to safely remove the bat and release
it outside. Please note that you cannot get rabies just by
seeing a bat in your home or coming into contact with bat
guano (feces), urine, or blood.
Please note that bats are considered protected mammals
in the State of Pennsylvania, therefore it is illegal to kill
or harm a bat.
To safely capture a bat:
Information provided by the Centers
for Disease Control and Prevention
- Find a small container like a box or a large can, and
a piece of cardboard large enough to cover the opening in
the container. Punch small air holes in the cardboard.
- Put on leather work gloves. When the bat lands, approach
it slowly and place the container over it. Slide the cardboard
under the container to trap the bat inside.
- If you are certain there’s been no contact between
the bat and any people or pets, carefully hold the cardboard
over the container and take the bat outdoors and release
it away from people and pets.
- If there’s any question about contact between the
bat and people or pets, you want to save the bat for testing.
Tape the cardboard to the container, securing the bat inside
and then contact your health department to have the bat
tested for rabies.
What should I know about rabies?
Rabies is a preventable viral disease most frequently transmitted
through the bite of a rabid mammalian animal. The saliva of
an infected animal that comes in contact with an open wound,
a fresh abrasion or scratch, or the eye, can also transmit
rabies. Rabies can also be transmitted through infected brain
and nervous system tissue. It is important to note that you
can only get the rabies virus by coming in to contact with
the aforementioned body excretions and tissues. The rabies
virus infects the central nervous system (CNS), and ultimately
causes disease in the brain and death.
If you have come in contact with an actual or suspected
rabid animal’s saliva or brain/nervous tissue, it is
important that you seek medical attention for appropriate
follow-up and care. Based on the type of exposure that occurred,
your doctor or the health bureau may recommend that you receive
rabies post-exposure prophylaxis.
Raccoons, skunks, bats and groundhogs are among some of the
high-risk group of wild animals to transmit the virus. Unvaccinated
cats and dogs are a threat to spread the disease, as they
have frequent contact with humans and animals, both wild and
domestic.
What if I have additional
questions about animal bites and rabies?
If you have read through all of the above information pertaining
to animal bites and rabies and have additional questions,
please contact:
The Bethlehem Health Bureau:
Monday-Friday 8:00am-4:30pm
Phone: (610) 865-7083
If you require assistance during hours when the Bethlehem
Health Bureau is closed, including weekends, please contact
the Bethlehem Police Department’s non-emergency number.
Bethlehem Police Department Non-Emergency Number:
(610) 865-7187
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