Rabies Surveillance

Rabies is a deadly viral disease that can be prevented but not cured. The virus attacks the brain of warm-blooded animals, including people. When an animal is sick with rabies, the virus is shed in the saliva and can be passed to another animal or a person, usually through a bite. Transmission may also occur if this saliva or the animal's nervous tissue enters open wounds, the mouth, nose, or eyes of another animal or person.

All animal bites within Alachua County should be reported to the Environmental Health Section of the Florida Department of Health in Alachua County (DOH-Alachua) for investigation and follow-up. Investigating all animal bites prevents the transmission of rabies to humans.

Florida has no nuisance wildlife removal program. If you want to have an animal removed from your property, you must do so at your own expense. State rules regarding relocating animals and a list of registered wildlife trappers are available at the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission website. If you have questions about an animal's behavior, you can contact the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission at 386-758-0525 to speak to a wildlife biologist.

For more information, links and brochures, please visit the Florida Department of Health's Rabies webpage.