Tompkins County Environmental Health is urgently seeking a dog that bit an individual on Highland Avenue in the Cornell Heights neighborhood of Ithaca around 1 pm on Tuesday, March 12. The dog, described as a medium-sized black canine with short, thick hair and upright ears, was on an orange leash. Accompanied by a person and a second dog with white, brown, and black spotting, the authorities aim to confirm the animal’s rabies vaccination status to prevent the bitten individual from undergoing rabies treatment.
The health department emphasizes the importance of locating the dog for a ten-day observation period to ensure it is not infected with rabies. This step is crucial to eliminate the need for rabies post-exposure treatment for the bite victim, which involves a series of painful injections.
Tompkins County Environmental Health is appealing to the public for assistance in finding the dog to safeguard community health. Anyone with information is encouraged to contact the Environmental Health Division immediately, as staff are available 24/7 to respond to such incidents.
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