As mandated by State law, any animal that bites or scratches a person must be taken to a veterinarian for a 10-day rabies quarantine period. If it is a stray animal, with the permission from the Environmental Health Agency, the Shelter will euthanize the animal for rabies testing. If the animal appears to be a stray animal with an owner, the Shelter will ask permission from the Environmental Health Agency to hold the animal until the owner can be located. The owner must pay normal impoundment fees to the shelter.
Rabies testing requires euthanasia of the animal, removal of the head and submission of it to the State Health Lab in Montgomery for examination of the brain for presence of the rabies virus.
