If you or your pet are the victim of a domestic animal bite, you are required by law (Title 17. CCR 2606) to report such incidents to the Police Department.  The biting animal must be quarantined for a period of ten days and a report must be completed and forwarded to the Alameda County Vector Control Department within 48 hours to monitor the animal for possible rabies.

During the quarantine period the biting animal must be properly confined in a place where it’s health can be monitored.  The animal may be confined at its residence, a veterinary hospital, or the local animal shelter at the discretion of the Animal Services Officer.  The quarantine location will depend on several factors including whether the biting animal is currently vaccinated against rabies and if the animal can be securely confined at home.

If you or your pet are bitten by a wild animal, containment and rabies testing of the wild animal is recommended.  Since rabies testing involves examination of the wild animal’s brain tissue, the wild animal must be euthanized and refrigerated (not frozen) prior to testing.  If the wild animal cannot be located, a bitten person will be referred to their doctor and may require post-exposure rabies shots.  Domestic pets bitten by wild animals may require quarantine if the wild animal is not located for rabies testing.  If your dog/cat is currently vaccinated against rabies the quarantine period following a possible exposure to rabies is one month.  If your dog/cat is not currently vaccinated against rabies, the quarantine following a possible exposure to rabies is six months.

Rabies is a very serious disease that can be fatal if untreated and is caused by a virus carried in animals infected with the disease. Each year several animals in the Tri-Valley area have tested positive for the rabies virus. The most common carriers of rabies are wild animals such as raccoons, skunks, bats, and other rodents.  Household animals that have not been vaccinated against rabies can come down with the disease and pass it on to people or other animals.  For more information about rabies click here.

To report an animal bite, call the main Police Department phone number at

(925) 931-5100.