Richmond and Henrico Health Districts Share Rabies Prevention Tips 

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Last Updated: July 23, 2025

RICHMOND, Va. — In order to protect the health of residents and visitors, the Richmond and Henrico Health Districts (RHHD) share rabies prevention tips.

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. The rabies virus lives mainly in the saliva and brain of rabid animals. The virus can be transmitted through a bite or by getting saliva or central nervous system tissue in a wound or in the eye or mouth. Transmission can occur with direct contact between a human and a rabid animal, or between a pet and a rabid animal

Steps to prevent the spread of rabies:

  • Have a licensed veterinarian vaccinate dogs and cats four months of age and older for rabies, as required by the Code of Virginia.
    • Keep vaccinations current.
  • Not every rabid animal looks sick
    • Do not feed stray animals.
    • Avoid wild animals and pets you are not familiar with, especially raccoons, bats, foxes, and skunks.
    • Ask the owner before approaching an unfamiliar dog.
    • Feed your pets indoors and do not let them wander.
  • Teach children to avoid contact with wild animals and pets they are not familiar with.
    • Teach children to ask the owner before approaching an unfamiliar dog.
  • Keep wild animals, including bats, out of homes by capping chimneys with screens and blocking openings in attics, cellars and porches.
  • Ensure trash cans have tight-fitting lids.

If you, a family member, or a pet are bitten by a wild, stray, or unvaccinated animal, 

  • Call 911 for medical emergencies.
  • Wash the wound(s) thoroughly with warm soapy water.
  • If it can be done without risking further direct contact, try to capture the animal under a large box or can, or at least identify it before it runs or flies away.
  • Contact local animal control, your healthcare provider, or RHHD.
  • For bites to humans, notify your family doctor immediately and explain how you got the bite.

  • If necessary, your doctor will give you rabies post-exposure prophylaxis (PEP) or refer you to an Emergency Department for treatment.

    • This treatment generally includes wound care, human rabies, immune globulin (HRIG) and a four-dose vaccine series.
    • Your doctor will also treat you for other possible infections that could be caused by the bite.

For more information about rabies, visit: https://www.vdh.virginia.gov/animal-contact-human-health/rabies-control/.
Henrico County offers Rabies Vaccination Clincs for domestic animals four times per year. The next clinic takes place on Saturday, August 16, 2025, 9 a.m. – 12 p.m. at the Henrico Western Government Center (4301 E. Parham Road, Henrico, VA 23228). Residents with questions about the clinic can call 804-727-8801 (Monday – Saturday, 10 a.m. – 4:20 p.m.).

For more health and safety information, follow RHHD on Instagram at @richmondcity_hd and on Facebook, visit rhhd.gov, and sign up for RHHD’s monthly newsletter at rhhd.gov/news.

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