North Carolina Law & Rabies
To minimize health risks to human, NC law addresses what to do when a person is exposed or potentially exposed to rabies. The responsibilities of public health and animal control officials vary depending on the situation and on the level of health risk, but include the following components:
- Mandatory reporting
- Confinement of animals
- In some cases, destruction of animals
If a health care provider treats a person for an animal bite, the local health director must be notified within 24 hours.
If a dog, cat or ferret bites a person, both the victim and the animal’s owner must notify the local health director immediately.
After any bite, the animal must be confined for 10 days, regardless of rabies vaccination status. The local health director decides the place of confinement which could be a veterinarian’s office, a public or private animal shelter, or even the owner’s property. The owner is responsible for any costs related to the confinement.
