Animal Bites

If you have been bitten by an animal, tend to your wound immediately. Seek medical care as needed or call 9-1-1 if the injury is serious. Once you are safe and have received appropriate medical attention, call Animal Control at (510) 981-6600 to make a bite report.

Call Animal Control or Police

After you have cared for your injury, call Animal Control at (510) 981-6600 to report the bite. An officer will take your report and provide next steps.

If the incident happens after hours and the Animal Shelter does not answer the phone, call the Berkeley Police Department at (510) 981- 5900.

Tend to the wound

Take care of your health first:

• Provide first aid for the bite right away.
• If the wound is serious, call 9-1-1.
• After you are safe and stable, call Animal Control to report the bite.

For less serious wounds, please call Animal Control after you have treated yourself and/or have seen a physician.

Contain or identify the animal

If possible, safely contain the responsible animal. If the animal is vicious, wait until animal control arrives and they will contain the animal. 

If the responsible animal does not stay in the area, try and get a good look at the animal so that you can give a description to animal control or the police.

Quarantine your pet if it bites

If your pet bites, quarantine it at home. Animals that cannot be quarantined at home will be impounded at the shelter.