Animal Care Information
Health examinations are a very important part of your pet's existence. All preventive health programs must involve the following: Vaccinations; Parasite control; Nutrition; Miscellaneous categories that include grooming, bathing, nail trimming, and dental examinations. Please contact your local veterinarian for this information.
Do not leave your animal in a vehicle while it is unattended. Unattended animals left in vehicles even with the windows partially opened are still subject to heat stress. When an animal breathes only hot air your pet can quickly suffer from brain damage and die from a heatstroke. (The Humane Society of the United States, Washington, D.C.)
If you suspect your animal's body heat becomes elevated you must lower his/her body temperature immediately!
Get them to some shade and apply cool, not cold, water all over his/her body; apply ice packs or cold towels to only the head; Let him/her drink small amounts of cool water, or lick ice cubes or ice cream; Get your pet to a veterinarian right away. (The Humane Society of the United States, Washington, D.C.)
"Rabies is a deadly disease caused by a virus that attacks the nervous system. It kills almost any mammal or human that gets sick from it." (Virginia Department of Health)
The Rabies virus lives in the saliva, the virus is spread by getting the infected virus into a wound. Only mammals get rabies. Rabies can be prevented by getting the proper vaccinations from you local veterinarian on a regular basis. Keep records of your pet's vaccinations for future reference. If your pet is bitten, contact the local health or animal control authorities. To limit the possibility of exposure, keep your pets on your property. Don't leave garbage out that may attract wild infected animals to your property. A rabid animal sometimes acts tame. Do not keep wild animals as pets. If you see an animal acting strangely, report it to your local animal control. Do not go near it yourself!
If you have been bitten, don't panic but don't ignore it. Wash the wound thoroughly with soap and plenty of water. Get medical attention as soon as you can. If you can, identify the animal before it runs away. Then call the local animal control. If it is a wild animal that must be killed, do not damage the head. The brain is used to test for the rabies virus.
If your pet has bitten someone, tell the person who was bitten to see a doctor immediately. If your pet is a dog, cat or ferret, it will possibly have to be confined for a period of 10 days for observation.
Please call the Game Warden at (804) 843-5962. If that office is closed, calls can be directed to the Law Enforcement Center, 253-1800. A toll free number, 1-800-237-5712, is available to report violations from 8:00 a.m. until 5:00 p.m.
Anyone who wishes to make animal complaints, please call (757) 565-0370.