MCHD reminds residents to stay vigilant as animal bites rise 11-07-25
November 7, 2025
MCHD reminds residents to stay vigilant as animal bites rise
MOBILE, Ala. — The Mobile County Health Department’s Infectious Disease & Outbreaks team has been very busy recently with animal bites. After investigating 12 cases last week, there have been 21 more this week.
“Mobile County has seen a growing number of animal bite reports in recent months, and these incidents can have lasting impact,” said Dr. Kevin Michaels, Health Officer for Mobile County. “Beyond the risk of infection, an animal bite can cause significant pain, emotional trauma, and even long-term anxiety about animals or outdoor activity. It’s important to take precautions to prevent bites and to seek immediate medical care if one occurs.
“Any animal can bite if startled, frightened, or provoked,” continued Dr. Michaels. “Taking preventive steps, properly socializing pets, and supervising children around animals are all vital ways to reduce the risk.”
The Mobile County Health Department encourages residents to report all animal bites or exposures to healthcare providers and the Alabama Department of Public Health. Immediate medical evaluation helps prevent infection and allows providers to assess whether rabies or tetanus vaccination may be necessary.
To protect your household and community, MCHD also reminds pet owners that Alabama law requires dogs, cats, and ferrets 12 weeks of age and older to have a current rabies vaccination. Vaccines are also available for horses and other livestock to reduce the risk of disease transmission. MCHD sponsors low-cost rabies vaccination clinics for dogs, cats, and ferrets on weekends. The schedule is available at https://mchd.org/events/ or at https://www.facebook.com/ILOVEMCHD/events.
In addition to keeping vaccinations current, residents are encouraged to follow these precautions to reduce the risk of rabies exposure:
• Do not handle bats.
• Keep pets properly confined in a fenced-in area or on a leash.
• Do not allow pets to roam freely.
• Avoid leaving uneaten pet food or scraps outdoors, which can attract wildlife.
• Never feed or keep wild animals as pets—raccoons, foxes, skunks, and other wild species may carry rabies and are not suitable for domestication.
• Avoid approaching any animal, wild or domestic, that is acting strangely or appears sick.
• Teach children to steer clear of stray or wild animals, regardless of how they behave.
• Be cautious around dog fights, as bites sustained while separating fighting dogs can also transmit serious infections.
Animal bites can be traumatic, leading not only to physical injury but also emotional distress for victims and families. MCHD encourages anyone affected by an animal bite to seek medical evaluation and, if needed, emotional support to aid recovery. While emotional support following an animal bite is not specifically covered, there are general resources available through CredibleMind such as https://tinyurl.com/49fb7ahh.
MCHD’s Rabies Officer vaccinated 2,866 household pets (2,289 dogs and 577 cats) in 2024. To learn more about our program, visit https://mchd.org/disease-control/#rabies.