Bitten or scratched? Start with these 3 steps.
Wash and flush the wound with soap and running water for about 15 minutes when possible. Then contact a healthcare professional or public-health authority for an exposure assessment.
What each step
looks like.
Use this overview while arranging an assessment with a healthcare professional or public-health authority.
Wash immediately
Gently wash and flush the wound with soap and running water for about 15 minutes when possible. This is an important first-aid step; then contact a health professional.
Request an exposure assessment
Contact a healthcare professional or public-health authority promptly. They can evaluate whether post-exposure prophylaxis (PEP) is indicated for your situation.
Report the animal
If the animal can be safely identified, contact local animal-control or public-health authorities. Dogs, cats, and ferrets may sometimes be observed under public-health guidance. Do not start, stop, or change PEP based on this website alone.
Find facilities to call
Search for nearby emergency departments, urgent-care centers, and health departments. Availability and hours change, so confirm by phone before traveling.
Identify the animal involved
The animal involved is one detail a clinician or public-health professional uses when evaluating an exposure.
Replace common assumptions
with reliable guidance.
“If the animal seems fine, you're safe”
A dog, cat or ferret can shed rabies virus for several days before it looks sick — a healthy-looking animal doesn't rule out exposure.
“Rabies only comes from wild animals”
Dogs are responsible for up to 99% of human rabies cases worldwide. Unvaccinated pets, not just wildlife, are a real risk.
“I'll know if I was bitten by a bat”
Bat bites and scratches can be difficult to notice. If direct contact may have occurred, discuss the circumstances with a healthcare professional or public-health authority.
Focused tools for
each next step.
Facility Contact Finder
Locate emergency rooms, urgent care centers, and health departments near you to call about rabies PEP. Vaccine and HRIG availability changes often — call before traveling.
Find care now →Exposure Checklist
Organize the animal, contact, timing, location, and wound details into a checklist summary for professional assessment.
Prepare my summary →Vaccine Tracker
Record the schedule provided by your healthcare professional and keep appointment details together. The tracker does not create or change a treatment schedule.
Start tracking →Symptoms Reference
Read educational information about symptoms in people and animals. Symptoms cannot confirm or rule out whether an exposure occurred.
Read the reference →Travel Risk Guide
Review destination guidance, questions to discuss before travel, and links to official sources before you fly.
Plan travel →Who brought you here?
We have the right guide for you.
Select your situation and get the most relevant resources instantly.
Pet Owner Guide
What to do if your dog, cat or pet is bitten by a wild animal. Vet visit checklist, quarantine rules, and local reporting steps.
Read pet guide →Pet Vaccine Tracker
Log your pet's rabies vaccination schedule. Get reminders before boosters are due. Keep records for travel and vet visits.
Track pet vaccines →Find Care Contacts
Locate healthcare and public-health facilities to call. Confirm hours, exposure evaluation, vaccine, and HRIG/RIG directly before traveling.
Search contacts →Parent Safety Hub
Children are bitten more often and may hide it. Learn what warning signs to look for and when to go to the ER — not urgent care.
Parent guide →Kids Learning Zone
Age-appropriate content teaching children why to stay away from stray animals and what to tell an adult immediately.
Kids section →Printable Family Guides
Downloadable bite-response checklists and school permission sheets. Print and share with your kids' school.
Download free →Pre-Travel Risk Guide
Country-level rabies profiles for 120+ destinations. Know whether pre-exposure vaccination (Pre-EP) is recommended before you fly.
Plan safe travel →Global Risk Map
Interactive WHO incidence data across 150+ countries. See which regions have active outbreaks before you book your trip.
View map →Pre-Exposure Vaccines
Pre-EP vaccine schedules for travellers, timing before departure, and what to do if bitten abroad where PEP isn't available.
Vaccine schedule →Student Resource Hub
Peer-reviewed sources, infographics, and cited statistics for school projects, dissertations, and essays.
Student resources →Classroom Kits
Ready-to-use lesson plans, printable worksheets, and interactive activities for teachers covering rabies awareness.
School materials →Knowledge Quiz
Test what you know about rabies prevention, transmission, and treatment. Earn a shareable certificate upon completion.
Take the quiz →Outdoor Safety Guide
How to avoid wildlife contact, what to carry in your pack, and the full response protocol for bat or wild animal encounters off-grid.
Outdoor guide →Exposure Checklist
Organize six details about an animal encounter into a checklist summary for a clinician or health department.
Prepare a summary →Facilities to Contact About PEP
Find healthcare and public-health contacts, then call before traveling because vaccine, HRIG/RIG, hours, and services can change.
Find facilities to contact →What SafeRabies helps you do
Follow a focused wound-washing guide
Organize useful exposure details
Find facilities and public-health contacts
Let a qualified professional determine whether PEP is indicated
See where rabies
is active now.
Our interactive map layers WHO incidence data, reported animal cases, and public-health context so you can learn about a destination or region. It does not assess a person’s exposure.
Read. Learn.
Stay protected.
What to do in the first 60 minutes after a dog bite
The actions you take immediately after exposure dramatically change your outcome. A step-by-step guide covering wound care, when to go to the ER, and what to tell your doctor.
Read article →Woke up to a bat in your room? Here's exactly what to do
Bat contact is the leading cause of rabies deaths in the US. Bats can bite without waking you — which is why bat exposure protocols are stricter than for other animals.
Read article →ER vs Urgent Care for rabies exposure — which is right?
Rabies vaccine and HRIG availability can change. Learn what to ask a facility before traveling and how public health may help coordinate care.
Read article →Common questions,
answered instantly.
What should I do immediately after an animal bite?
Wash and flush the wound with soap and running water for about 15 minutes when possible. Then contact a healthcare professional or public-health authority promptly for an exposure assessment. They can decide whether post-exposure prophylaxis (PEP) is indicated.
What are the first signs of rabies in humans?
Early symptoms can include fever, headache, weakness, or unusual sensations near the exposure site. Later neurological symptoms can occur. Symptoms are not a safe way to decide whether an exposure needs care; arrange an assessment after a possible exposure.
How soon should I seek a rabies PEP assessment after a bite?
Contact a healthcare professional or public-health authority promptly after a possible exposure. Whether PEP is indicated—and the appropriate schedule—depends on the exposure, local guidance, and your vaccination and health history.
Can I get rabies from a scratch or minor wound?
A scratch that breaks the skin may require assessment if saliva or nervous tissue from a potentially rabid animal could have entered it. Wash the area and discuss the animal, contact, and location with a healthcare professional or public-health authority.
Is rabies dangerous for children?
Children may not report an animal encounter or may describe it incompletely. Ask calmly what happened, wash any wound, and contact a healthcare professional or public-health authority promptly for guidance.
How do I find facilities to contact about rabies vaccine and HRIG?
Use the SafeRabies facility contact finder to locate emergency rooms, urgent care centers, and health departments near you. Rabies vaccine and immunoglobulin (HRIG) availability changes, so call the facility before you travel.
How much does a rabies shot cost?
Costs vary by country, facility, treatment, and insurance. See our guide to rabies-vaccine costs, and ask the facility, insurer, or public-health authority about current charges and assistance before making financial decisions.
Need to act now?
Begin with first aid.
Follow the wound-washing guide, then arrange a professional exposure assessment.
Open the first-aid guide