{"id":1520,"date":"2026-08-19T12:23:50","date_gmt":"2026-08-19T16:23:50","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.vdh.virginia.gov\/hampton-peninsula\/?page_id=1520"},"modified":"2026-08-19T15:56:44","modified_gmt":"2026-08-19T19:56:44","slug":"animal-bites-and-exposures","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/www.vdh.virginia.gov\/hampton-peninsula\/animal-bites-and-exposures\/","title":{"rendered":"Animal Bites & Exposures"},"content":{"rendered":"
\n
\n\t

Animal\/Pet Exposures:<\/strong><\/p>\n

    \n
  1. Wash the wound(s) thoroughly with warm soapy water and contact your doctor or veterinarian.<\/li>\n
  2. Make note of the location of the incident and provide as many details possible of the animal (ex: species, breed, size, if the animal had a collar).<\/li>\n
  3. Call the local HPHD EH office and the local animal control office.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n

     <\/p>\n

    Human Exposures:<\/strong><\/p>\n

      \n
    • All exposures, including animal bites or scratches, involving humans\u00a0should\u00a0<\/strong>be reported to Environmental Health and Animal Control\u00a0in the jurisdiction in which the incident took place<\/strong>.<\/li>\n
    • Exposure of domestic animals to wild animals should also be reported. Wild animals that have exposed a person or pet must be euthanized and tested for rabies; if the animal is not available for testing, it must be considered rabid.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n

      To report potential animal exposures or animal bites, contact the local Sheriffs office and ask for the Animal Control Officer on duty.\u00a0 In addition, please report the exposure to the local Environmental Health office in the locality where the bit occurred.\u00a0\u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n

      If you are bitten or exposed to a potentially rabid animal, please do not attempt to contain the animal yourself\u00a0unless you are able to do it safely<\/strong>. If you are able to safely contain the animal, please do so, then contact the local animal control officer for further instructions.<\/p>\n

      If you are seen by a healthcare provider regarding an animal bite\/exposure, the healthcare provider is required by code to report the animal bite to the local health department.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div>

      \n\t
      \n\t\t\t
      \n\t\t\t\t\t
      \n\t\t\t\t\t
      \n\t\t\t\t\t\t
      \n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tLocal Animal Control Offices\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t
      \n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t
      \n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/span>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t
      \n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/span>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t
      \n\t\t\t\t\t

      Hampton:<\/p>\n

        \n
      • (757) 727-6111<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n

        Newport News\/Poquoson:<\/p>\n

          \n
        • (757) 595-7387<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n

          Williamsburg\/James City County:<\/p>\n

            \n
          • (757) 565-0370 (daytime)<\/li>\n
          • (757) 253-1800 (evenings, weekends, and holidays)<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n

            York County:<\/p>\n

              \n
            • (757) 890-3601<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t
              \n\t\t\t\t\t
              \n\t\t\t\t\t
              \n\t\t\t\t\t\t
              \n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tLocal EH Offices\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t
              \n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t
              \n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/span>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t
              \n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/span>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t
              \n\t\t\t\t\t

              Peninsula Health Center (Newport News, Poquoson, and York County)<\/strong><\/p>\n

              836-A J. Clyde Morris Blvd.
              \nNewport News, VA 23601
              \nPhone: (757) 594-7340
              \nFax: (757) 594-7223
              \nEmail: peninsula.eh@vdh.virginia.gov
              \nHours: 8:00 a.m. \u2013 5:00 p.m. Monday \u2013 Friday<\/p>\n

              Hampton Health Center (Hampton)\u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n

              3130 Victoria Blvd
              \nHampton, VA 23669
              \nPhone: (757) 727-2570
              \nFax: 757-727-1227
              \nEmail: hhd-environmental@vdh.virginia.gov
              \nHours: 8:00 a.m. \u2013 4:30 p.m. Monday \u2013 Friday<\/p>\n

              Williamsburg-James City County (Williamsburg and James City County)<\/strong><\/p>\n

              5300 Palmer Lane
              \nWilliamsburg, VA 23188
              \nPhone: (757) 603 - 4277
              \nFax: (757) 253 \u2013 4285
              \nEmail: peninsula.eh@vdh.virginia.gov
              \nHours: 8:00 a.m. \u2013 5:00 p.m. Monday \u2013 Friday<\/p>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

              Animal\/Pet Exposures: Wash the wound(s) thoroughly with warm soapy water and contact your doctor or veterinarian. Make note of the location of the incident and provide as many details possible of the animal (ex: species, breed, size, if the animal had a collar). Call the local HPHD EH office and the local animal control office. […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":339,"featured_media":0,"parent":0,"menu_order":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","template":"","meta":{"_lmt_disableupdate":"no","_lmt_disable":"","footnotes":""},"tags":[],"class_list":["post-1520","page","type-page","status-publish","hentry"],"yoast_head":"\nAnimal Bites & Exposures - Hampton & Peninsula Health Districts<\/title>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/www.vdh.virginia.gov\/hampton-peninsula\/animal-bites-and-exposures\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"Animal Bites & Exposures - Hampton & Peninsula Health Districts\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"Animal\/Pet Exposures: Wash the wound(s) thoroughly with warm soapy water and contact your doctor or veterinarian. 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