Rabies Control
The Rabies Control Program quarantines dogs, cats, and ferrets involved in biting incidents to ensure that the animal did not transmit rabies to the bite victim.
Public Health’s Office of Environmental Health provides a convenient online payment option for license and permit payments. The options available are Credit Card, Personal Check (Homeowner submittal)or Business Check.
Electronic PaymentsPublic Health’s Rabies Control Program seeks to prevent the spread of rabies within Montgomery County by using the following strategies:
Rabies Exposure Management: Providing guidance and assistance in the event of potential rabies exposure. This includes advising individuals who have been bitten or scratched by an animal on the appropriate steps, such as seeking medical treatment or post-exposure rabies vaccination.
Animal Control and Quarantine: Collaborating with animal control services to ensure that stray animals are appropriately handled, monitored, and, if necessary, quarantined. The program quarantines dogs, cats, and ferrets involved in biting incidents to ensure that the animal did not transmit rabies to the bite victim. Biting animals are not released from quarantine until proof of rabies vaccination by a veterinarian registered with Public Health is provided. Laboratory tests of wild animals also are conducted when necessary
Investigation and Reporting: In cases of rabies exposure or rabies-positive animals, Public Health conducts investigations to determine the source of exposure and take appropriate action to prevent further spread, including notifying the public when needed.
Public Education: Offering information to the public on the importance of rabies vaccination for pets, the risks of exposure to wild animals, and the steps to take if bitten or scratched. Educational materials may be provided at schools, community events, and online platforms.
| Rabies Statistics in Montgomery County Ohio | |||||||||
| Year | 2017 | 2018 | 2019 | 2020 | 2021 | 2022 | 2023 | 2024 | 2025 |
| Number of bites Represents bites that are reported to Public Health via hospitals, Urgent cares and police reports. |
1014 | 1005 | 1155 | 900 | 1179 | 822 | 1222 | 1207 | 1276 |
| Domestic Animals Quarantined Animals that bite a human are quarantined for 10 days and a health check is done at the end of the quarantine to verify the animal is healthy. |
762 | 792 | 872 | 726 | 869 | 586 | 917 | 878 | 975 |
| Number of Final Notices A final notice is a letter sent to the owner of an animal the inspector was not able to do a check-up on. |
223 | 206 | 172 | 116 | 75 | 105 | 179 | 208 | 257 |
| Number of Releases A release happens after an inspector observes the animal after the quarantine and deems it healthy and releases it from quarantine. |
423 | 434 | 393 | 261 | 265 | 226 | 336 | 334 | 276 |
| Wild Animals positive for rabies Wild animals tested and confirmed to be positive for rabies. |
0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 2 | 3 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
| Domestic Animals positive for Rabies Pets or farm animals that are tested and confirmed to have rabies. |
0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Humans Positive for Rabies Human with confirmed rabies case. |
0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes and no. Rabies is a fatal disease for which there is no cure and rabid wild animals are discovered in Montgomery County nearly every year. But rabies is preventable through vaccination of pets, quarantining and/or testing of bite animals and post-exposure shots for bite victims when necessary. These control measures have been very successful: there have been no human or domestic animal rabies cases in Montgomery County for many years.
Yes. To protect the public health, state law requires that all potential rabies exposures need to be monitored by the local health authority.
It should still be reported. The rabies virus can be spread if the animal’s saliva enters any wound with broken skin, so animal scratches are treated as potential rabies exposures.
Yes. If the bat had access to a room where someone was sleeping, the bat should be tested for rabies.
Quarantining an animal ensures that it is available to be observed for signs of rabies 10 days after the bite. It also helps limit additional exposure events until the health status is known.
The rabies virus does not enter the salivary glands of an infected dog or cat until the very last stages of the disease. If the animal is healthy 10 days beyond the date of the bite, it could not have passed on rabies through its saliva to the bite victim.
The animal is confined to limit contact with other animals or humans. This can be done at the home in the case of a family pet, at a veterinary clinic or an animal shelter. The animal may not be relocated without permission of the Health Commissioner.
Yes, but it must be confined within a fenced area or under your direct supervision to prevent contact with other animals or humans.
Then a tissue sample from the animal is submitted to the state lab where it is examined for signs of the disease.
Then the victim will be notified so that he or she can get the post-exposure rabies shots.
You must allow the animal to be observed by Public Health staff, and provide proof of current rabies vaccination.
No. A pet license is not required for release from quarantine.
You will need to get your pet revaccinated by a veterinary clinic registered with Public Health (but only after the quarantine period is passed and the pet has been observed by Public Health staff.)
Yes. These tags help confirm that your vet is registered locally.
Yes. Local regulations require that all dogs, cats and ferrets be vaccinated for rabies.
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16 March 2016
- Ohio Department of Health - Information on state-wide rabies statistics and lab testing of animals.
- Ohio Department of Health - Rabies by Species Map
- U.S. Centers for Disease Control - Information on rabies basics, US and international rabies occurrence.
- Montgomery County Animal Resource Center - Information on control of stray or dangerous animals.
