How can you prevent rabies?
  • Avoid wild animals, especially bats, skunks, foxes and raccoons. Do not feed or pet strays. Avoid any animal - wild, farm or pet - that you do not know. Report any animal that behaves oddly to your local animal control official.
  • Make sure that your pets are inoculated against rabies and that their shots are up to date. By law all dogs and cats must be vaccinated against rabies.
  • Feed pets indoors and keeps them indoors at night. If they are outside during the day, keep them on a leash or fenced in so they cannot wander. Even vaccinated pets can get rabies. Pets allowed to roam freely are more likely to get rabies and bring it into your home.
  • Fasten trash can lids tightly. Garbage attracts animals (like skunks, raccoons and strays) looking for an easy meal.
  • Teach your children to avoid wildlife, strays and all other animals they don't know well. Do not let your children roam freely in areas where wild animals live.
  • It is against state law to keep wild animals such as skunks, or raccoons as pets. There are no rabies vaccines for most wild species.
  • Cap your chimney with screens and block openings in attics, cellars and porches to keep wild animals like bats and raccoons out of your home.
  • If you have bats in your house, talk to a professional about bat proofing your home.
  • Do not handle dead, sick or injured wild animals yourself: call the police or animal control officer. If you must handle the animal, use heavy gloves, sticks or other tools to avoid direct contact.
  • Animal Control Officers, veterinarians and their assistants, and others who have a lot of contact with strays or wildlife should think about getting routine rabies vaccinations to protect themselves before they are exposed to the virus.
  • Your doctor, nurse, or health center.
  • Your local Board of Health Listed in the phone directory under local government.
  • Massachusetts Department of Public Health Division of Epidemiology 617-983-6800.

Show All Answers

1. How could I make a barking dog complaint?
2. How can you prevent rabies?
3. What should you do if you think you have been exposed to rabies?
4. How can I tell if an animal is rabid?
5. How is rabies spread?
6. What is rabies?
7. Why can't Animal Control take care of my problem?
8. Is there any information online that I could turn to?
9. I have problems with wildlife what are my choices? Can I capture it?
10. I can no longer keep my ferret what can I do with it?
11. Can ferrets live in the wild?
12. Do ferrets need to be vaccinated for rabies?
13. Do ferrets get along with other animals?
14. I am thinking of buying a Ferret where can I buy one?
15. What do I need to know to make a complaint?
16. How do I know if the animal is being abused?
17. How do I know if my neighbor is abusing their animal?
18. What do I do if I fall down?
19. How do I approach a dog?
20. What do I do if an unfriendly dog approaches me?
21. If I am in my yard and a strange dog walks past my house, can I go and pat him?
22. How do I avoid being bitten?
23. If I am bitten, what do I need to do?
24. How could I keep my child safe from being bitten?
25. What should I do to protect my animal from wild life?
26. A wild animal bit my animal, what do I need to do?
27. What are the different types of barking?
28. What steps can I take to keep my dog from barking?
29. I am a dog owner. Why does my dog excessively bark?
30. Is there a fine or a law against a barking dog?
31. How about if my neighbor's dog is barking after hours who do I call?
32. Will you have to tell the dog owner who reported the complaint?
33. My neighbors dog constantly barks and is a nuisance to our neighborhood, what could we do?
34. Is there any help for spaying and neutering my animal?
35. Why should I neuter my dog?
36. What are the shelter estimates?
37. What is the average number of litters a fertile dog can produce in one year?
38. I have a problem with feral cats, what can I do?
39. Why should I spay my dog/cat?
40. How much does the dog license cost?
41. I work all day and can't get to Town hall to license my dog. Is there a way I could get this done?
42. What is the citation for not having a licensed dog?
43. My dog never leaves my property, does it need a license?
44. What is the citation for not having a vaccinated dog?
45. My dog stays in the house, does he need to be vaccinated?
46. My dog stays outside, does he need anything?
47. I am thinking of buying a dog, where can I buy one?
48. I have contacted my neighbors and it's not their cat, now what do I do?
49. I have a stray cat in my yard, what do I do?
50. If I put a collar on my cat will it injure it? What about microchips?
51. Do cats need to wear a collar and tags? What about microchips?
52. Is it true that cats aren't happy unless they can go outside to roam and hunt?
53. Why should I spay & neuter my cat?
54. I am thinking of buying a cat/kitten, where can I buy one?
55. What are the hours of the Dartmouth Animal Control Department?
56. Every time I call the office I get a voicemail, why isn't anyone at the office?