Health officials in Tompkins County are asking for the public’s help in locating a dog that bit a person Friday afternoon in the City of Ithaca.
The incident happened around 4:50 p.m. on April 10 on West Seneca Street near Thayer Appliances, according to Tompkins County Whole Health.
Officials said the dog is described as medium-sized with a yellow-brown coat. The owner is described as a white male, approximately 5-foot-7, with gold-brown hair, wearing glasses and believed to be in his late 20s to early 30s.
Authorities said the person who was bitten did not immediately realize the severity of the injury, and no contact information was exchanged at the time.
Environmental Health officials say locating the dog is critical to determine whether it may have been carrying rabies. If found, the dog would undergo a standard 10-day observation period to confirm it is healthy and not infectious.
If the dog cannot be located or its health status verified, the person who was bitten may need to undergo post-exposure rabies treatment, which includes a series of injections.
Officials are reminding residents to avoid contact with unfamiliar animals and to obtain owner information after any bite incident.
Anyone with information is asked to contact the Tompkins County Environmental Health Division at 607-274-6688.
FingerLakes1.com is the region’s leading all-digital news publication. The company was founded in 1998 and has been keeping residents informed for more than two decades. Have a lead? Send it to [email protected].