How to Complete and Submit the Nassau County Animal Bite Report Form

To file the Nassau County animal bite report form, use the Nassau County Department of Health’s online reporting portal or call the department at (516) 227-9663 during business hours.¹ New York’s Sanitary Code requires immediate reporting of every potential rabies exposure, so the sooner the report reaches the county, the sooner it can investigate and arrange quarantine of the animal.²

Who Has to File and How Quickly

Under 10 NYCRR 2.14, any health care provider — defined broadly as any person or facility that delivers primary or secondary medical care — must report immediately to the local health authority when a patient has been exposed to an animal suspected of having rabies.² That notification must happen before starting rabies post-exposure treatment, unless delaying the report would put the patient’s health at risk.

If the bite victim does not see a provider, the duty shifts. For a child, the parent or guardian files. An adult files for themselves, or whoever is caring for them files if they are incapacitated.² Anyone who observes an animal showing signs of rabies, such as staggering, unprovoked aggression, or excessive drooling, must also report that animal, whether or not a bite occurred.

The regulation says “immediately” for every category of reporter. There is no 24-hour or 48-hour grace period written into the code. In practice, that means the same day as the incident or the same day you become aware of it.

Information to Gather Before You Start

Have these details ready before you open the form. Incomplete reports slow the county’s response and usually trigger follow-up calls that delay the investigation.

Victim’s full name, home address, phone number, and age.
Date, time, and exact location of the bite, with a brief description of how the encounter happened.
Where on the body the bite landed and how severe the wound is.
Species, breed, color, and any distinguishing markings of the animal. Note if it was a stray or wild.
Animal owner’s name, address, and phone number. If the owner is unknown, include whatever identifying details you have about where the animal was or how it behaved.
Whether the animal has a current rabies vaccination, the date of the last shot, and the veterinarian who gave it. Tag or certificate numbers help the county verify records fast.

Photograph the injuries as soon as you can, and keep photographing them as they heal. The photos are not part of the county form, but they matter later if you file an insurance claim or pursue the owner for damages.

How to Submit the Report

The online portal on the Department of Health’s website is the fastest route.¹ It walks through victim information, incident details, animal description, and owner data, then sends the report directly to the Office of Disease Control. Nothing can get lost in a fax queue or a mailroom.

To file by phone, call (516) 227-9663 during business hours and give the report to a department representative. For after-hours emergencies, particularly when an animal is behaving erratically or cannot be located, use (516) 742-6154.³ A completed written report can be faxed to (516) 227-9696.

The department’s office is at 200 County Seat Drive, North Entrance, Mineola, NY 11501. Walk-in and mailed reports are accepted but slower than the portal or phone. Whichever method you use, follow up within a day or two to confirm the report arrived and an investigation has been opened.

HIPAA and Reporting Providers

If you are a provider, disclosing patient information on this form does not violate HIPAA. The Privacy Rule at 45 CFR 164.512(b)(1)(i) permits covered entities to share protected health information with public health authorities, including local health departments, without the patient’s authorization when the disclosure is for disease prevention or control.⁴ Because New York law mandates this report, the minimum-necessary standard that normally limits disclosures does not apply.

What Happens After You File

Once the report reaches the Department of Health, it can order the biting animal confined for 10 days. The quarantine applies to dogs, cats, ferrets, and domestic livestock, regardless of current vaccination status.⁵ The point is to watch the animal for signs of rabies. If it stays healthy for the full 10 days, it was not shedding the virus when the bite happened.

The local health authority decides where and how the animal is confined. Owners can often quarantine at home under specific conditions: no contact with other people or animals, no access to public spaces, and compliance with any instructions from health officials. When home confinement is not workable, the animal may be held at a veterinary facility or shelter. All costs fall on the owner.⁵

If the animal gets sick during quarantine, a veterinarian evaluates it, and it may be euthanized for rabies testing. If the animal cannot be found, which is common with strays and wildlife, the health department will assess the victim’s risk and may recommend starting post-exposure treatment right away rather than waiting.

Whether You Will Need Rabies Treatment

If health officials determine you were exposed to a potentially rabid animal, you will need rabies post-exposure prophylaxis (PEP). For someone never previously vaccinated, PEP involves a dose of human rabies immune globulin (HRIG) on the first visit, followed by four vaccine injections on days 0, 3, 7, and 14.⁶ People with compromised immune systems receive a fifth dose on day 28. Day 0 is the first medical visit, not necessarily the day of the bite.

Rabies is nearly always fatal once symptoms appear, so PEP is not optional when the risk is real. The treatment works well when started promptly. The cost can run high because HRIG is dosed by weight, so call your insurance early to understand coverage. If the biting animal finishes the 10-day quarantine without symptoms, your doctor may conclude PEP is unnecessary and stop the remaining doses.

Keep Records for Insurance and Legal Claims

The bite report also serves as the official record of the incident if you later need to recover costs. Keep every medical bill and record, track lost wages from missed work, and save receipts for any expense tied to the injury. Most homeowners and renters policies cover dog bite liability, typically with limits between $100,000 and $300,000, though some insurers exclude certain breeds or refuse to cover a dog that has bitten before.⁷

Separately from the health department process, any person can petition a municipal court under New York Agriculture and Markets Law § 123 to have a dog declared dangerous, which can result in court-ordered neutering, microchipping, confinement, muzzling, or liability insurance up to $100,000.⁸ That is a separate proceeding from the bite report, but the report you file with Nassau County becomes part of the documentary record that supports it.

1
Nassau County. Health Department
2
Legal Information Institute. New York Compilation of Codes, Rules, and Regulations Title 10 2.14 – Reporting of Suspected Rabid Animals and Persons Exposed to Them
3
New York State Department of Health. Rabies Information – County Contacts
4
HHS.gov. Public Health
5
New York State Department of Health. State Sanitary Code, Chapter 10, Health
6
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Rabies Post-exposure Prophylaxis Guidance
7
Insurance Information Institute. Spotlight on: Dog Bite Liability
8
New York State Senate. New York Agriculture and Markets Law 123 – Dangerous Dogs