Rabies Control

The agency provides health services to individuals who live in Los Angeles County. Services include public awareness/education about animal ailments, public health surveillance programs about animal ailments, Avian Flu, rabies control, and West Nile Virus control. The agency serves all Los Angeles County Health Districts except the Long Beach Health District, Pasadena Health District and the City of Vernon.

  The agency is responsible for animal disease surveillance and rabies control in conjunction with local animal shelters and other agencies.

      This agency does not take in animals. Residents that find stray, sick or injured animals, or finds a bat in their home must call their local animal control agency for these services.

Public awareness regarding Avian Flu activities, also known as H5 Bird Flu, includes infection prevention and disease information.

  Rabies control activities includes receiving animal bite, animal attacks by wildlife and rabies suspect reports from local veterinarians, animal shelters, medical providers and the public. Rabies specimens are obtained from veterinary clinics and animal shelters and taken to the Public Health Laboratory for testing. Animals that have bitten a person or were exposed to wildlife are quarantined to ensure they don't have rabies. The program veterinarians also provide consultation regarding the need for rabies post-exposure prophylaxis.

  Animal Disease surveillance includes receiving reports of infectious diseases and outbreaks in animals; investigation and control of selected diseases to prevent further spread. The program may require infected animals to be isolated, quarantine, tested or euthanize as needed to prevent disease spread. Program Veterinarians also provide consultation regarding animal diseases, to veterinarians and other agencies or facilities that care for or house animals. The program also collects selected dead birds to test for West Nile Virus.

  The program also provides informational guides for a variety of animal diseases. The website has flyers and tip sheets on Rabies control, Animal Bite Reporting, West Nile Virus reporting, and other veterinary public health issues as well as animal disaster preparedness.