Dog Bites

Reporting Dog Bites

All dog bites must be reported to the Washington County Health Department per Ohio Revised Code and the Washington County Dog Warden's office.

Dogs that have bitten a person must be quarantined for 10 days. It is the Dog Warden's discretion on whether the dog is quarantined with the owner or at the Humane Society of the Ohio Valley.

Process After Dog Bite

If you are bitten by a dog we will attempt to assist the Heath Department to identify the dog's owner for compliance with the rabies quarantine. Citations for biting dogs must be issued to the dog owners on a case-by-case basis. If a dog is not properly confined, or is running loose, citations are generally issued. If a dog bites someone who is voluntarily on the property of the owner it is considered a civil matter and not under jurisdiction of our office.

Many times people are understandably upset when they, or a relative, are attacked or bitten by a dog. However, due to challenges to the state laws regarding dangerous and vicious dogs, and the structure of Ohio Law regarding dog bites, we are limited as to what we can legally do in these cases.