News Release                              For Immediate Release

                                                                                                                         April 20, 2012

Dog in Biting Incident Identified

An appeal for assistance has been successful to identify a dog in a biting incident last week in Meaford. The owner of the dog came forward. The dog is identified as healthy and as a result the child involved in the biting incident will not have to undergo post-exposure rabies treatment.

Public Health thanks the owner of the dog for coming forward and to the media and the public in bringing this incident to a successful conclusion. Public Health anticipates no further action in this matter. The incident provides a reminder to all pet owners that dogs and cats are required by law to be vaccinated against rabies.

Grey Bruce is one of the few places in Ontario where rabies remains endemic. In 2011, Public Health investigated 565 reports of potential animal-human rabies exposures with 24 people receiving post-exposure treatment.

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For more information:

Robert Hart

Program Manager

Grey Bruce Health Unit

519-376-9420 or 1-800-263-3456 ext. 1279

b.hart@publichealthgreybruce.on.ca