Protecting Your Family & Pets Against Rabies

Halton Region investigates animal bites and scratches to prevent and control the transmission of rabies. A Public Health Inspector may:

1. Contact you to request further details about the incident, your animal's vaccination status, etc.
2. Visually assess the health of your animal as soon as possible after receiving a bite/scratch report.
3. Require a 10-day observation period of your animal in your home. During this period, it is important for you to:
   • Limit the interaction between your animal and other animals or persons.
   • Immediately call 311 if your animal appears unwell, escapes, dies or if the animal's behavior changes.
   • Ensure that your animal is not re-immunized against rabies.
4. Reassess the health of your animal, after the 10-day observation period to ensure your animal is healthy and did not develop any signs of rabies.

If a person is bitten or scratched, depending on the case, Halton Region Public Health will:

• assist healthcare providers to assess the level of risk associated with an exposure;
• provide rabies vaccine to healthcare providers upon request;
• confine domestic animals (dogs, cats and ferrets) for a 10-day period to observe if they develop rabies;
• confine livestock animals (for example, horse) for a 14-day period to observe if they develop rabies; and
• arrange for wild animals to be euthanized for rabies testing.

• Teach children to avoid unfamiliar cats and dogs.
• Observe wildlife from a distance.
• Take measures to prevent wildlife from taking up residence in your home or on your property.
• Do not attempt to relocate any wild animals.
• Remember to collect animal owner contact information if you have been scratched or bitten by someone’s pet.
• Report all animal bites, scratches and possible exposures to the Health Department as soon as possible.

• Keep your dogs and cats up to date with their rabies vaccinations.
• Don't allow your pets to roam free; keep them indoors at night to prevent contact with wild animals.

If you and/or your family are interested in adopting a dog from a breeder, rescue organization, or shelter, there is important information you should consider in order to avoid importing or accepting a sick and/or infectious dog that may pose a risk to the your health, the health of others and the health of other local animals here in Ontario.

There are also animal welfare concerns associated with transporting dogs from overseas. Imported dogs can also have significant behavioural issues if they were not properly socialized and never lived in a home prior to being adopted, which can lead to an increased risk of biting.

Before adopting a dog, especially from another country:

• Avoid adopting pets from countries considered high-risk for dog rabies(external link) by the Canadian Food Inspection Agency.
• Review the Canadian Food Inspection Agency's requirements for importing animals(external link) from other countries.
• Be aware of the potential issues that may arise after adoption (for example, acute or chronic infectious diseases, unresolvable behavioural issues)
• Ensure the organization from which you are receiving the dog is a reputable business/source (request references, speak to others who have adopted through the same agency, or consult your own veterinarian)
• Ask about the dog’s medical history, including vaccinations, deworming, and prior treatment for any diseases or conditions, including injuries or illness. Ensure all medical records will be provided at the time of adoption.
• Ask about where the animal lived and how it was cared for prior to importation. For example, was it a stray or did it spend time in a kennel / shelter (where it would be exposed to lots of other dogs), was it an owned dog that primarily lived outside (where it would have exposure to wildlife or livestock), or was it an owned dog that is used to living indoors (and would be used to being around people).
• Talk to your veterinarian about specific disease risks that may be a concern based on the dog’s country of origin, and arrange to have the dog examined by your veterinarian as soon as possible after arrival.

After adopting a dog, especially from another country:

• To help protect people and pets from rabies, Ontario law (Regulation 567, Rabies Immunization(external link)) requires animal owners to vaccinate dogs, cats and ferrets over 3 months of age against rabies. The vaccine must be administered by a veterinarian registered in the province of Ontario and with a rabies vaccine licensed for use by Health Canada. If you have imported an animal from outside of Ontario, you must ensure it is vaccinated against rabies in Ontario as required by Regulation 567, Rabies Immunization, even if the animal has a current rabies vaccination certificate from another jurisdiction.

Additional precautions to follow include:

• Have the dog examined by a veterinarian as soon as possible after arrival, in order to detect any signs of active or chronic infection or injury. Your veterinarian can also make recommendations for any additional vaccinations, vaccine boosters, diagnostic testing and additional follow up examinations.
• Keep the dog segregated from other animals and high-risk individuals (e.g. people who are immunosuppressed, very young, elderly or pregnant) for 2-4 weeks after arrival to monitor for any signs of illness (including infectious diseases) or significant behavioural concerns.
  • Remember that rabies may present in an animal up to six months after it is exposed to the virus from a rabid animal, even if the pet was vaccinated after the exposure.
• Have a behavioural assessment performed by a professional organization.
• Adhere to licensing requirements as required by other local requirements.

The Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA) is responsible for regulating the importation of animals, including dogs, into Canada. The importation of animals is regulated to prevent the introduction and spread of diseases, such as rabies, that could have adverse health impacts on local animals and people.

The Canada Border Services Agency (CBSA) is responsible for conducting inspections on behalf of the CFIA. If an animal is found to be non-compliant with the CFIA's humane transport and/or import requirements, the Canada Border Services Agency (CBSA) may refuse the animal entry or refer it to the CFIA for further inspection.

Breeders, rescue agencies and shelters should review the CFIA's requirements for importing animals(external link) from other counties.  Be aware that new regulatory requirements for importing commercial dogs less than 8 months of age for breeding or resale(external link) (including adoption) came into effect in May 2021.

In addition, these organizations should ensure prospective owners or caretakers of all animals they provide, including imported animals, are given appropriate and sufficient information (see above) to manage any risks to animal and human health.