Animal Bite Reporting Requirements

Implementation Date: 11/13/2014

Date of Last Revision: 11/01/2022

Next Review Due: 10/31/2025

 

Reviewed by VTH Administrative Team: 3/2013; 10/2014; 11/2022

Reviewed by VTH Board: 6/2018 ; 9/2022

 

Reviewed by Legal Counsel: N/A

Reviewed by Biosecurity Subcommittee: 10/2014; 2/2018; 9/2022

Subject to modification by the Biosecurity Subcommittee of the CVM Environmental Health and Safety Committee without approval.

Policy

All bites and other injuries sustained in the handling of animals by Veterinary Teaching Hospital (VTH) personnel will be reported.

VTH personnel, staff and/or members of the public must complete the applicable forms and submit within the necessary timeframe. 

VTH personnel having knowledge that a person has been bitten by an animal under VTH care are required to file a report. VTH personnel who have been exposed to a potential rabies suspect* will be required to follow the recommendations of medical healthcare providers and public health authorities with regards to post-exposure vaccination and testing.

*A rabies suspect will be determined by a clinician and/or by lack of vaccination history. 

Guidelines

The University of Illinois requires timely reporting of injuries that are sustained on University of Illinois property or that involve VTH personnel.

• Injury Reporting forms are found on the College of Veterinary Medicine Intranet under the Forms tab

o First Report of Injury/Illness form is required for VTH employees
o UI Public Injury/Property Damage Report form is required for students, volunteers, and/or VTH clients injured while on university property

The Champaign County Department of Animal Control requires prompt reporting of animal bites regardless of where the bite occurred or who was involved (E.g., VTH personnel or client, in VTH or elsewhere). 

• County of Champaign Animal Bite/Scratch form is found on the College of Veterinary Medicine Intranet under the Forms tab

o For bite injuries that occur in the VTH, the County of Champaign Animal Bite/Scratch form must be completed in addition to the University forms listed above

The injured individual should seek immediate medical attention as needed, however prompt notification of the injury/incident to the individual’s supervisor and/or VTH administration is required. Notification of an injury involving a client must also be reported to VTH administration in a timely manner. 

Post-bite/injury recommendations and measures will take into consideration the circumstances of the exposure and the vaccination status of the exposed/injured individual, in consultation with public health and medical care professionals. 

Contact Information

Champaign County Animal Control
(217)384-3798, M-F 8am-5pm
(217)333-8911, after hours
(217)384-1238 FAX

Carle Occupational Medicine (Employees)
(217)383-3077, M-F 7am – 5pm
810 Anthony Dr., Urbana, IL 61802

McKinley Health Center (Students)
(217)333-2701, M-F 8am-5pm, Sat 8am – 4 pm
The schedule changes in the summer, on holidays and academic breaks
1109 S. Lincoln Ave, Urbana, IL 61801

Champaign-Urbana Public Health Department
(217)352-7961, M-F 8am – 5pm
201 W. Kenyon Rd, Champaign, IL 61820

Procedure (if applicable)

Post Bite/Injury Management

1. All injuries shall be reported to the injured individual’s supervisor as soon as possible. If the supervisor is unavailable, the incident shall be reported to VTH Administration.
2. If practical and appropriate, bites or scratches shall be immediately and thoroughly cleansed with water irrigation, soap, and/or disinfectants.
3. The injured individual should seek immediate medical attention for wound assessment and post-injury management if indicated.

Reporting Requirement for Animal Bites - General 

1. Bite reporting forms are available for use if an animal bite to a human occurs. These forms are in the rack outside of the Department of Veterinary Clinical Medicine office, the VTH office and on the College’s Intranet 
2. VTH personnel having knowledge that a person has been bitten by a patient of the VTH is required to report the bite incident. This requirement applies to bites involving VTH personnel and non-VTH persons. 
3. A bite report shall be filed with the county veterinarian and/or animal control agency in which the bite occurred. Reporting of bites from animals in Champaign County, such as those occurring in the VTH,should be made to the Champaign County Department of Animal Control by completing the Animal Bite/Scratch Form and faxing it within 24 hours to (217) 384-1238. Initial reports may be made by telephone (217-384-3798, or 217-333-8911 after hours) but this does not replace the requirement for a completed form to be faxed. If bite occurs on weekend/holidays, the bitten individual is responsible for faxing the form within 24 hours of the bite. 
   
   Please see spreadsheet database for contact information for other counties.
   Animal Control Directory Database
   
   
4. All report form fields should be completed to the greatest degree possible and should include information about the animal’s general condition, including any signs consistent with rabies infection. 
5. Officials from animal control and the Illinois Department of Public Health are responsible for evaluating rabies exposure and determining the need for post-exposure management.
6. Bites and/or injuries occurring on University of Illinois property require additional reporting. See below.

Reporting Requirements for Animal Bites – Bites that Occur in the VTH

1. A County of Champaign Department of Animal Control Animal Bite/Scratch Form must be completed as described above for submission by fax (within 24 hours). All sections of the Bite/Scratch Form must be completed. Once faxed, the completed Bite/Scratch Form must be submitted to the VTH Director’s Office by the next available business day. 
2. The senior clinician of record will notify owner of animal involved in the incident that the incident has occurred 
   a. The vaccination history of the animal must be determined and updated and/or recorded in the animal’s medical record. 
   b. The owner(s) shall be advised that Champaign County Animal Control will be notified and will determine what measures will be taken regarding management of animals based on species, vaccination status, and ownership status
3. All communications with the owner and Animal Control shall be documented in the patient’s electronic medical record.
4. Students (if not acting as a paid employee at the time of injury) or members of the public (including clients and VTH volunteers) MUST complete the University of Illinois Public Injury/Property Damage Report available outside the VTH office, the Department of Veterinary Clinical Medicine office and on the College’s Intranet.
5. Paid employees who are injured while working MUST complete the University of Illinois First Report of Injury/Illness form available outside the VTH Office, the Department of Veterinary Clinical Medicine office and on the College’s Intranet
6. All completed forms must be submitted to the VTH Director’s Office by the next available business day. 

Reporting Requirements for Animal Bites – Bites that Occur to VTH staff and students, outside of Champaign County (e.g. ambulatory visits, zoo visits)

1. Animal Bite Reporting form must be filled out and filed with the county where bite occurred. VTH Staff and/or student must also complete University Injury Reporting Form for either the student or the employee, as applicable. 

Definitions (if applicable)

Bite - a bite occurs when an animal or person is seized with the teeth or jaws of an animal so that the person or animal seized has been nipped, gripped, wounded, or pierced.

Rabies Exposure – a bite that broke the skin, or saliva contact to an open cut, sore or wound or to mucous membrane (mouth, nose, eye) from an animal suspected of being infected with rabies or a high-risk species.

Veterinary Teaching Hospital (VTH) - The collective clinical services of the Large Animal Clinic, Midwest Equine, the Small Animal Clinic, and the Veterinary Medicine South Clinic.