The Ontario Health Protection and Promotion Act, Regulation 557 Communicable Diseases requires that schools report all animal bites and potential rabies exposures (including contact with bats) to the health unit for investigation.

In the event a student is bitten or scratched by an animal school principals should:

• Use this Rabies and Animal Exposure Incident Report Form (PDF) to collect required reporting information
• Fax the completed form to the SMDHU Rabies Fax Line at 705-725-8132
• All incidents involving facial, neck or head bites, or high risk exposures involving bats, raccoons, skunks or foxes should also be reported by telephone to SMDHU at 705-721-7520 or 1-877-721-7520 ext. 8811 (Monday to Friday between 8:30am – 4:30pm) or to our After-hours On-Call Public Health Inspector at 1-888-225-7851 (evenings, weekends or holidays).

In the event that a wild or domestic animal involved with an incident dies or displays symptoms of rabies, principals are advised to consult with public health as the animal will need to be submitted for rabies testing; health unit staff are available to facilitate such testing.