Dog Bites & Animal Attacks
Utility workers, delivery drivers, meter readers, landscapers and home service workers meet dogs on their jobs every day, and outdoor crews meet wildlife. Most bites can be treated safely if you act quickly, but some can cause serious infections, including rabies and tetanus. Get medical care for any bite that breaks the skin.
- Home Services
- Outdoor Workers
- Families
First aid for a bite
- Get away from the animal to a safe place. If it’s still attacking, call 911.
- Control bleeding with firm pressure using a clean cloth. See Bleeding Control. Call 911 for heavy bleeding, bites to the head, neck or face, or a mauling.
- Wash the wound with soap and running water for at least 5 minutes, even if it looks small.
- Cover it with a clean bandage.
- See a doctor the same day for any bite that breaks the skin. Bites can get infected, and some need stitches or antibiotics.
Rabies
- Rabies is a deadly virus carried by some wild animals, especially bats, raccoons, skunks and foxes, and rarely by unvaccinated dogs and cats. It’s almost always fatal once symptoms start, but treatment (vaccine and immune globulin) works if given soon after the exposure.
- Tell the doctor what kind of animal it was and whether it was acting strangely, and whether it’s vaccinated, if you know.
- Contact animal control or the health department so the animal can be found and observed or tested. Don’t try to catch it yourself.
- Bats: if you find a bat in a room where someone was sleeping, or a bat touches you, call your health department. Bat bites can be tiny.
Tetanus and infection
Ask your doctor whether you need a tetanus booster. Health agencies generally recommend one if your last shot was more than 5 years ago for a dirty wound, or more than 10 years for a clean one. Watch for redness, swelling, warmth, pus, fever or red streaks, and see a doctor if they appear.
Report it
- Report the bite to animal control or the police, with the owner’s address if you know it. Many places require owners to confirm rabies vaccination.
- If it happened at work, tell your supervisor and report it as a work injury. Workers’ comp may cover treatment. See Filing a Workers’ Comp Claim.
- Write down what happened, with photos of your injury, the location and witnesses.
Staying safe around dogs
- Don’t enter a yard with a dog loose unless the owner has secured it. Ask the customer to put pets away.
- Watch for warning signs: stiff body, raised hackles, growling, showing teeth, staring.
- If a dog charges, stand still, don’t run, and don’t scream. Turn sideways, avoid direct eye contact, and back away slowly. Put something between you and the dog, like a clipboard, bag or ladder.
- If you’re knocked down, curl up with your hands over your neck and ears, and stay still.
- Carry dog deterrent spray if your employer allows it, and use it as trained.
- Don’t pet or feed unknown animals.
Wildlife on the job
- Don’t approach or handle wildlife. Back away and give it room.
- In snake country, wear boots and watch where you put hands and feet. See Allergic Reactions for stings, and call 911 for a venomous snake bite.
- Report aggressive or sick-acting animals to animal control or wildlife officials.
Bite response checklist
- Away from the animal; 911 if still in danger or bleeding is heavy
- Pressure on the bleeding; wound washed with soap and water for 5 minutes
- Clean bandage; doctor the same day
- Rabies and tetanus questions asked
- Animal control notified; work injury report filed
Standards & references
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