Williamson County Health, TX

Animal bites to people must be reported as soon as possible to the Local Rabies Control Authority (LRCA) in your community. In Williamson County, LRCA falls under Animal Control Officer in associated with the local law enforcement agency. The LRCA will investigate the incident and quarantine the animal for observation or testing, in accordance with Texas and local laws.

Local Rabies Control Authorities and Animal Control Officers are trained to deal with animal bites and potential rabies exposure incidents. They know how to properly quarantine or test a biting animal to determine if a bite victim was exposed to rabies.

An exposure to bats is considered as being bitten or scratched by a live bat.

Please seek medical care if you have been bitten or scratched by a bat. Your healthcare provider should contact Williamson County and Cities Health District if there is any suspicion of rabies exposure. Do not release or trash the bat if someone has come into contact with the bat. If you believe your pet has been exposed, please contact your veterinarian for further assessment.

If the bat is alive, and there has been no human or animal exposure, leave the bat alone. If the bat is dead, and there has been no exposure, contact Animal Control for the best way to dispose of the bat.

Please make sure to wear thick leather gloves to avoid any exposures. Keep your pets updated on their rabies vaccines to avoid transmission of the rabies virus from their exposure to wildlife.

WCCHD does not accept bat samples for testing.

Animal Bite Reporting
Animal bites to people must be reported as soon as possible to the Local Rabies Control Authority (LRCA) in your community. In our community, the Local Rabies Control Authority is typically an Animal Control Officer associated with the local law enforcement agency. The LRCA will investigate the incident and quarantine the animal for observation or testing, in accordance with Texas and local rabies prevention laws.  Texas Rabies Laws

Local Rabies Control Authorities and Animal Control Officers are trained to deal with animal bites and potential rabies exposure incidents. They know how to properly quarantine or test a biting animal to determine if a bite victim was exposed to rabies.

For a rabies risk consultation, please contact:

• DSHS Health Service Region 7 Temple: 254-778-6744

Additional Resources:

• DSHS - Rabies Prevention
• DSHS - Rabies Information
• When Should I Seek Medical Attention?