Health Department seeks info about dog bite to rule out rabies infection

ITHACA, N.Y. –– The Tompkins County Health Department is asking the public to help locate a dog that allegedly bit a person, in order to check the animal for rabies.

On Thursday evening between 4:30 and 5 p.m., a dog described as a German Shepherd or shepherd mix with a yellow body and black markings "typical of a shepherd," reportedly bit a person on the South Hill Recreation Trail in the Town of Ithaca.

TCHD said in a statement that "the dog was pulling a man, approximately 6 feet tall, dressed in snow gear, with shoulder length reddish brown hair, on a snowboard," down the trail near Pennsylvania Avenue.

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The dog allegedly bit the person on the leg as they passed by. The person bitten was not able to speak with the owner of the dog after the bite occurred.

TCHD wants to "verify vaccination status and health of the biting dog over a ten-day period." They say that if the dog can be located and observed to be healthy by the department, the risk of rabies infection can be ruled out and the person bitten can avoid post-exposure treatment.

Anyone with information regarding this dog is urged to call the Tompkins County Environmental Health Division at (607) 274-6688.