What should I do right after a dog bite?

Wash the wound thoroughly with soap and water, apply antibiotic cream, and cover it with a clean bandage. For deep wounds, apply pressure and get medical care right away. Get the owner's contact information and the dog's rabies vaccination record, then report the bite.

Do I need a rabies shot after a dog bite?

Not always. Rabid dogs are uncommon in the U.S. A healthy dog that bites is usually observed for 10 days, and if it stays healthy, it did not transmit rabies. A doctor, often with the local health department, decides whether you need post-exposure treatment.

Who do I report a dog bite to?

Your local animal control agency or police department, according to the CDC. In New York State, report bites to your county health department. New York City requires reports within 24 hours through 311, and Austin takes reports through 311 or online.

What to do after a dog bite: wound care, rabies, and reporting it

Wash it, get the owner's information, and report it. Here's why each step matters.

Dog bite claims on homeowners insurance jumped 25.6% in 2025, to 28,450 from 22,658 the year before, according to the Insurance Information Institute. The average claim cost $65,450, and the total came to about $1.86 billion. Those numbers include other dog-related injuries, like fractures, not just bites.

"We've seen a 25 percent increase in dog bites in 2025 and yet, most dog bites are preventable. Children are especially vulnerable," said Janet Ruiz, the institute's communications director. In New York City, reported bites reached 3,814 in 2024, the most in the 10 years from 2015 to 2024, according to the city health department.

If you or your child is bitten, start with the wound. For a minor bite, wash it thoroughly with soap and water, put on an antibiotic cream, and cover it with a clean bandage, the CDC says. For a deep wound, press a clean, dry cloth on it to stop the bleeding and get medical care right away. Call 911 if the bleeding won't stop or you feel faint or weak.

See a doctor if you don't know whether the dog has had its rabies shots, or if it has been more than five years since your last tetanus shot. Watch for infection afterward: a wound that turns red, painful, or swollen, or brings on a fever. Nearly 1 in 5 people bitten by a dog needs medical attention, according to the CDC.

Rabies is the fear, but rabid dogs are uncommon in the U.S. because of vaccination and control programs. A healthy dog that bites someone is confined and watched for 10 days, even if it has been vaccinated. If the dog stays healthy that whole time, it did not pass on rabies when it bit, the New York State Department of Health says.

If rabies can't be ruled out, doctors use post-exposure treatment: wound care, a shot of rabies immune globulin, and a series of vaccine doses. For most people, that's four shots, on days 0, 3, 7, and 14. People who were vaccinated against rabies before need just two doses, three days apart. Your doctor may check with the local health department to decide whether you need it. Cleaning the wound well is a big part of it. In animal studies, thorough wound cleaning alone markedly reduced the chance of developing rabies, the CDC says.

Before you leave, get the owner's name, address, and phone number, the dog's rabies vaccine license number, and the name of the veterinarian who gave the shot.

Then report it. The CDC says to report dog bites to your local animal control agency or police department. Some places spell out more:

New York State asks people to report all animal bites to their county health department, even if they're not sure they were exposed. In Nassau County, doctors who treat a bite are required to report it.
New York City requires bites to be reported within 24 hours, by calling 311 or reporting online.
Austin takes reports through 311 at 512-974-2000 or an online Animal Exposure Report. Dogs, cats, and ferrets reported for biting or scratching someone must be observed for 10 full days, whatever their vaccination status.

Who pays depends on the state. Some hold owners strictly liable. Under California Civil Code 3342, the owner is liable for a bite in a public place or when the victim is lawfully on private property, "regardless of the former viciousness of the dog or the owner's knowledge of such viciousness." Other states follow some version of the one-bite rule, where the victim has to prove the owner knew the dog was dangerous, the institute says. Nolo, a legal publisher, lists Texas and Virginia among the states that use the rule in whole or in part.

A bite can also start a case against the dog. In Austin, for example, a dangerous-dog case starts with a signed bite affidavit filed with Animal Protection. Under Texas law, "dangerous dog" is a legal designation a court makes. If a court declares a dog dangerous, the owner has to register it with the city for $50 a year and carry $100,000 in liability insurance, among other requirements. Owners can appeal within 10 calendar days of the decision.