Report to Veterinary Public Health

Report animal bites, rabies-related incidents and animal diseases in Los Angeles County.

A new reporting page is coming soon

In the meantime, use the options below or go to our current reporting forms for animal bites, rabies-related incidents and animal diseases.

Go to reporting forms

What to Report

Animal bites and rabies-related incidents

The following must be reported to VPH immediately:

Mammals, domestic or wild, that bite a human. Bites from rabbits, squirrels, rats, mice, gophers, and other rodents are NOT reportable. Bites from non-mammals like reptiles and birds are not reportable.
Domestic mammals (pets or livestock) that have an encounter with wildlife. Example: raccoon bite to a dog. Bites from wild small rodents, rabbits, birds, and reptiles to domestic mammals are NOT reportable.
All close encounters with bats. Bat bites are tiny, can heal very quickly and can be too small to find later. Examples of higher-risk encounters with bats (list is not all-inclusive):
- Bat known to have directly bitten a person or domestic animal, even if it does not bleed.
- Scratch from tooth of bat.
- Bat found near children, pets, non-verbal people, or others where a bite cannot be ruled out.
- Bat found indoors in a home or facility where people may be sleeping, if it may have had any unsupervised access to sleeping people before it was found.
Neurologic animals (wild or domestic) suspected of being rabid.

The current location of the biting animal is one of the most important parts of the report. A report of a bite from an animal does not mean that the animal is deemed dangerous. Residents that believe an animal to be dangerous must file a separate report with their local animal control agency.

To report bites in Pasadena, call the Pasadena Humane Society at 626-792-7151. In Long Beach, call Long Beach Animal Control at 562-570-7387. In Vernon, call the City of Vernon and ask to speak to the Health Department: 323-583-8811.

Bitten by an animal? See What To Do After an Animal Bite (PDF). Pet under a bite quarantine? See the FAQ for owners of pets under a bite quarantine (PDF).

Animal diseases

Sick or dead birds (see reporting sick or dead birds below)
Clusters of sick or dead animals occurring around the same time and place
Animal disease that may be related to human illness
Animal diseases not native to the area, or unusual animal diseases
Any disease on the Los Angeles County Animal Disease Priority List, 2024 (PDF)

Why report animal diseases?

Infectious diseases in animals are legally reportable in Los Angeles County. Animal disease reports are essential for identifying outbreaks, disease trends, and new diseases. This information is used to educate veterinarians, physicians, and others to help protect the health of animals and people.

Why report animal bites?

In California, anyone with knowledge of an animal bite to a person must report the incident to the local health department, including veterinarians and their staff. The United States is considered canine rabies free, and wildlife is the most important potential source of rabies for both humans and domestic animals. In Southern California, bats are the main source of rabies.

How to Report

Call or email. Call 213-288-7060 (Monday to Friday, 8am to 5pm) and ask to speak to the Veterinarian-On-Call, or email vet@ph.lacounty.gov.
Send a report form. Download and complete a form from our reporting forms page, then email it to vet@ph.lacounty.gov or fax it to 213-481-2375.
Report online (members of the public only): Online Public Reporting Portal

Suspected Rabid Animal: Steps for Veterinarians

Veterinarians who suspect an animal has rabies should:

Isolate the animal from other animals and people.
Call VPH at 213-288-7060 (Monday to Friday, 8am to 5pm) and ask to speak to a veterinarian, or email vet@ph.lacounty.gov.
Submit a report. Complete the Bite Report Form (PDF) and email it to vet@ph.lacounty.gov or fax it to 213-481-2375. If no person was bitten, leave the "Person Bitten" section blank or write N/A.
Prepare the specimen for rabies testing. Follow the step-by-step specimen preparation instructions (PDF).

For more on bite reporting and rabies control in LA County, see pages 8 to 29 of the 2022 Veterinary Public Health Manual (PDF).

Reporting Sick or Dead Birds

Never touch a sick or dead bird without wearing personal protective equipment.
Waterfowl, shorebirds, and other medium or large birds may be tested for avian influenza (HPAI H5N1). Report the bird to your local animal control agency. They may collect and hold it for testing.
Crows and ravens may be tested for West Nile virus. Report online: California Dead Bird Hotline or call: 877-968-2473.
Clusters of three or more dead birds of any species: Report to your local animal control agency.
Also notify Public Health: complete the sick or dead bird reporting form (PDF) and email it to vet@ph.lacounty.gov, or use the online reporting portal. Let us know whether you were able to contact animal control.
Learn more about dead bird reporting (PDF) and avian influenza.

Questions

Contact Veterinary Public Health:

Phone: 213-288-7060 (Monday to Friday, 8am to 5pm)
Email: vet@ph.lacounty.gov
Fax: 213-481-2375