It is NOT a statement of the animal’s behavior or of a person’s negligence or liability.

It IS a Public Health issue relating to the prevention of a fatal disease: RABIES.

Animal Control Officers DO NOT want to take your pet, nor are they going to kill it just because it bit someone.

Animal Control Officers are going to require that the animal be quarantined for 10 days (usually at the owner’s home if certain conditions are met.)

The only test for rabies means the animal must be killed and the brain tissue tested for presence of the virus. That is why we require the 10-day quarantine period. If the animal remains healthy for the 10 days, it cannot have been shedding the virus in its saliva at the time of the bite or scratch.

NC Law requires that all animal bites to humans be reported.... Even if your OWN pet bites you, whether or not you went to the doctor, whether or not it was an accident.

Brunswick County Animal Services is available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week for animal bite investigations and for reporting suspected rabid animals. You can reach an animal control officer Monday - Friday 8 am – 4:30 pm by calling the center at 754-8204. After 4:30 pm or on weekends or holidays, call 911 and they will dispatch a control officer.