WATERTOWN, NY – The Jefferson County Public Health Department (JCPHS) has received many tips on the location of the dog biting a small child on Friday night at a Watertown pet shop.

Through our community, the child will not have to suffer rabies after exposure.
treatment right now. The dog will be watched for 10 days.

Rabies is a deadly disease that attacks the brain and spinal cord. Several months or months may be needed for the symptoms of rabies to appear. If an animal has no active rabies at the time of the bite, it can not transmit the virus. If the animal appeared healthy at the time of the bite, it can be confined to the home for 10 days and observed; no post-exposure treatment should be administered.

As a reminder, keep your pet up to date with rabies vaccines. JCPHS Spring Rabies Vaccination Clinics will be held at the Dog Control from 5:00 pm to 7:00 pm on the following dates:

March 21st
April 18
May 16
June 20th

For more information on these clinics, follow us on Facebook / jcphs or visit our website, www.jcphs.org.


The Jefferson County Public Health Department (JCPHS) is asking the public for help in locating a dog that will bite a small child on Friday night at a Watertown pet shop.

If the dog is not found, the child will have to take post-exposure antirabies treatment.

The post-exposure treatment includes a dose of immunoglobulin (a blood product containing anti-rabies virus antibodies) and a series of anti-rabies vaccinations.
The dog is a small brown and white dog that uses a "wheelchair".

JCPHS has contacted veterinarians in the area, but none has a dog as a patient corresponding to this description.

Rabies is a deadly disease that attacks the brain and spinal cord. Several months or months may be needed for the symptoms of rabies to appear. If an animal has no active rabies at the time of the bite, it can not transmit the virus. If the animal appeared healthy at the time of the bite, it can be confined to the home for 10 days and observed; no post-exposure treatment should be administered.

If you are the owner of the dog or have information about this dog, please contact
JCPHS at 315-786-3720. The dog will need to be monitored at home for 10 days to make sure he is not rabid.

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