Animal Bite Reporting

The Taney County Animal Care and Control Shelter is now managed by Taney County. Animal Control Field Services are managed by local jurisdictions and the Sheriff’s department in unincorporated areas of the county.

To reach the shelter, please call 417-332-0172.

Taney County Health Department works with local authorities and health care providers to prevent rabies in the community. For animal bites or after-hour emergencies, please call your local police department or the Sheriff’s department.

• Wash the wound thoroughly with soap and warm water.
• Contact your local police department or Sheriff’s office to report the bite.
• Call the Taney County Health Department for information about tetanus and rabies prevention.
• If owner of animal, be prepared to provide current vaccination/veterinarian records for the animals involved.
• Tetanus shot MUST be given within 72 hours of the bite if you’re not current on the vaccination.
• Bite wounds have a high risk of infection, antibiotic treatment may be required and you will need to be seen by a medical provider.
• If the animal is not available for quarantine or rabies testing, rabies post exposure prophylaxis may be required. Talk to your provider for further recommendations.
  • Post exposure vaccine for rabies is a four-dose series, given on
    • The day of exposure
    • Day 3 after exposure
    • Day 7 after exposure
    • Day 14 after exposure
• Once a bite report is received, all parties will be contacted for details about the incident and a rabies prevention investigation will begin.
• If the animal is available, a 10-day quarantine process will begin at the animal shelter, veterinarian’s office, or a home quarantine under certain circumstances.
  • On the 1^st, 5^th and 10^th day of quarantine, an Animal Control officer or designee will make contact to ensure all parties are still well.
  • On the 10^th day, provided all parties are still well, quarantine will end and the animal will be released to their owner(s).
• If the owner relinquishes ownership, the animal may be euthanized.
• The owner of the animal may be required to have their animal vaccinated for rabies at a veterinarian’s office after the end of the quarantine.

• Animal Bite Report Form
• Reporting Process
• Quarantine Notice Form
  • Quarantine Visit Form
• Rabies Prophylaxis

To ensure a timely response, animal bites should be reported to the Taney County Health Department within 24-hrs after the incident. Please fax animal bite reports to 417-335-5727.