Florida Dog Bite Law

As in every state Florida has its dog bite laws and in some cases the Florida dog bite law varies from those of other states. Any time a dog bites someone regardless of whether it happens in Florida or in another state there are certain precautions that must be taken namely to avoid any rabies infections to the human victims of the dog bite. Even if the dog has been vaccinated and appears to be free of rabies there are still a number of steps that must be followed. Vaccinated dogs that have bitten a human outside of the immediate family generally should be quarantined at the local shelter or veterinarian’s office. At the end of the quarantine period, the dog should undergo a physical examination. In addition, interim evaluations are highly recommended. A dog that is not currently vaccinated against rabies and that bites a human should be considered a rabies suspect and be appropriately quarantined. Contact with the dog during the quarantine period should be strictly limited to individuals who have completed rabies prophylaxis and are up-to-date on serologic testing and booster vaccinations. Physical examinations should be conducted at the beginning and end of the quarantine period to determine the dog’s health status. Quarantined dogs may be treated by a veterinarian, but rabies vaccines should not be administered to the dog until the quarantine period is complete. Under Florida dog bite law as in other states if at any time during the quarantine period the dog has signs of illness compatible with rabies, it should be humanely euthanatized and samples submitted for rabies testing. Though this may seem harsh it is to protect not only the human population of the state but also the companion animal population from future rabies infection as once an animal has rabies it is has a 100 percent mortality rate.