Rabies Exposures and Animal Bites
Rabies Testing and Animal Bite Procedures
- JCDHE does not provide the initial dose of the rabies vaccination series (PEP). Seek out a nearby hospital emergency department for rabies post-exposure prophylaxis (PEP).
- You can get the remaining doses in the rabies PEP series at JCDHE's clinic in Olathe. Please call 913-826-1303 to make an appointment.
- Rabies Exposure Assessment and Resources from the Kansas Department of Health and Environment
- Call 913-715-6900 before bringing a specimen to the Johnson County Department of Health and Environment for rabies testing.
Rabies Exposures
The Johnson County Department of Health and Environment works in conjunction with local animal control officers (ACOs) and community service officers (CSOs) in Johnson County, Kansas, to limit the potential for human rabies exposures. The cooperation of many departments and agencies is necessary to provide this critical component of public health.
Local ACOs and/or the Johnson County Sheriff's Office begin with an initial investigation of potential rabies exposure, most often an animal bite, and determine the best course of action for each case. Officers will monitor animals that have bitten a person, as well as owned animals that may have been bitten. These officers are vital to the successful management of rabies exposure cases. If you are concerned about an animal, contact the ACO in the area where the incident or potential exposure occurred. You can find a list of local ACOs in the drop-down menu below.
JCDHE encourages the public to work directly with ACOs or veterinary offices when rabies testing is needed, as these partners ship specimens directly to the Kansas State Veterinary Diagnostic Laboratory.
The JCDHE Disease Containment Program and the Environmental Health Division provide rabies testing support, case tracking and follow-up with ACOs/CSOs, veterinarians and healthcare providers. The Environmental Health Division only accepts rabies specimens for testing that originate in Johnson County, Kansas. Please call 913-715-6900 before bringing a specimen for testing.
Potential rabies exposures are assessed by the Disease Containment Program, which works with local animal control and healthcare providers to manage the animal and determine appropriate care for exposed individuals. Confirmed cases of rabies are reported to the Kansas Department of Health and Environment.
If a person has been exposed to rabies, they should go to a nearby hospital emergency department for rabies postexposure prophylaxis (PEP) and the initial dose of the rabies vaccination series. Remaining doses in the rabies PEP series are available at JCDHE's clinic in Olathe. Please call 913-826-1303 to schedule an appointment and get more information.
Rabies Exposure Resources
| City/Organization | Phone | Website | Notes | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| De Soto |
City Hall: 913-583-1182 Johnson County Sheriff Dispatch: 913-782-0720 |
DeSoto Animal Control | Contact the Johnson County Sheriff's Office Non-Emergency Dispatch line for assistance with livestock. Call DeSoto City Hall for all other animals. | |
| Edgerton | 913-893-6231 | Edgerton Animal Control | ||
| Gardner | 913-884-8529 | Gardner Animal Control | ||
| Johnson County Department of Health and Environment, Disease Containment Program | 913-826-1303 | JCDHE Disease Containment Program | Available for consultation regarding rabies exposures and scheduling appointments for rabies post exposure prophylaxis; Monday-Friday, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. (except holidays). | |
| Johnson County Park Police | Johnson County Sheriff Dispatch: 913-782-0720 | Park Police Directions | Contact the Johnson County Sheriff's Office Non-Emergency Dispatch line for assistance. | |
| Johnson County Sheriff's Department | Johnson County Sheriff Dispatch: 913-782-0720 | Johnson County Sheriff | Contact the Johnson County Sheriff's Office Non-Emergency Dispatch line for assistance. | |
| Kansas Department of Agriculture, Division of Animal Health | 785-564-6601 | KDA Division of Animal Health | ||
| Kansas Department of Wildlife and Parks | 913-422-1314 | Kansas Department of Wildlife and Parks | ||
| Kansas State Veterinary Diagnostic Laboratory | 785-532-5650 | Rabies Laboratory | ||
| Kansas Department of Health and Environment, Epi Hotline | 877-427-7317 | Rabies Information |
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| Leawood | Leawood Police Dispatch: 913-642-7700 | Leawood Animal Control | ||
| Lenexa | 913-477-7385 | Lenexa Animal Control | ||
| Merriam | Johnson County Sheriff Dispatch: 913-782-0720 | Contact the Johnson County Sheriff's Office Non-Emergency Dispatch line for assistance. | ||
| Mission | Johnson County Sheriff Dispatch: 913-782-0720 | Mission Animal Control and Pets | Contact the Johnson County Sheriff's Office Non-Emergency Dispatch line for assistance. Includes the cities of Fairway, Mission, Mission Woods, Roeland Park, Westwood and Westwood Hills. | |
| Olathe | Johnson County Sheriff Dispatch: 913-782-0720 | Olathe Animal Control & Care | Contact the Johnson County Sheriff's Office Non-Emergency Dispatch line for assistance. | |
| Operation Wildlife (OWL) | 785-542-3625 | Operation Wildlife | Contact if a wild animal is found injured or orphaned. | |
| Overland Park | Overland Park Police Dispatch: 913-895-6300 | Overland Park Animal Control | ||
| Prairie Village | 913-385-4631 | Prairie Village Animal Control Unit | Includes city of Mission Hills. | |
| Shawnee | Shawnee Police Dispatch: 913-631-2155 | Shawnee Animal Control | ||
| Spring Hill | 913-592-2700 | Spring Hill Animal Control |
- The Rabies Exposure – Detailed Information Form is available in PDF format upon request. Email DHE-CDTeam@jocogov.org to obtain a copy. This form is to be completed by ACOs/CSOs, veterinarians, JCDHE Environmental Health or hospital staff if a rabies exposure has occurred. The information in this form provides a thorough summary of a rabies exposure, making future investigation and follow-up easier.
- Compendium of Animal Rabies Prevention & Control, 2016
- These recommendations serve as a basis for animal rabies prevention and control programs throughout the United States and facilitate standardization of procedures among jurisdictions, thereby contributing to an effective national rabies control program.
- KDHE Rabies Prevention and Control Guidelines
- Rabies Vaccine Information Statement (English)
- Vacuna contra la rabia (Español)
Start by contacting your local animal control officer (see the above list) or a veterinary office to assist with submitting and shipping a specimen for rabies testing. JCDHE relies on these professionals to prepare the specimen properly and protect you from potential rabies exposure.
If you choose to drop off your specimen at JCDHE's Environmental Health office in Olathe for shipment to the Kansas State Veterinary Diagnostic Laboratory in Manhattan, Kansas, please call 913-715-6900 to make arrangements. This service is only available for Johnson County, Kansas, cases and bats. Specimens are shipped Monday through Friday, but increased shipping costs apply to Friday shipments for Saturday delivery. Payment of the shipping fee will be required at the time the specimen is submitted to the JCDHE Environmental Health Division.
For questions about rabies exposure or follow-up recommendations, call JCDHE's Disease Containment Program at 913-826-1303.
- Specimen shipping Monday-Thursday: $98
- Specimen shipping after 3:30 p.m. on Thursday and all day Friday: $115 (requires a Saturday delivery fee)
- Family of bats – Shipping price per above, then an additional $38 fee for each additional bat.
The JCDHE Disease Containment Division will inform the victim of the results and submit a copy of the results to the Animal Control Officer, Community Service Officer and/or veterinarian who was involved in the case.