Fort Wayne Animal Care & Control, Allen County Sheriff's Department and Allen County Department of Health want to remind citizens how they can protect their families and pets from animal bites and possible exposure to rabies. The agencies also want to ensure citizens understand the steps they should take to report a bite if it should occur. 

In 2021, 1,349 bites or exposures to people and pets were reported to Fort Wayne Animal Care & Control. Exposures are anytime a person or animal comes into contact with a bat, raccoon or other wild animal that could possibly be a carrier of rabies. It's important that ALL animal bites to people and pets are reported to Fort Wayne Animal Care & Control. 

WHY REPORTING BITES AND EXPOSURES IS IMPORTANT

Bites must be reported to Fort Wayne Animal Care & Control to ensure proper procedure is followed in the instance the animal and/or person were exposed to rabies. Rabies is a viral disease of the central nervous system that is almost always fatal once symptoms begin. The virus is carried in the saliva of infected animals and is usually transmitted to people and other animals when they are bitten or scratched by the rabid animal. In some instances a biting animal can be tested for rabies. In other cases proper steps and an observation quarantine period must be followed to keep pets and people safe. 
 

DOG/CAT/FERRET BITES

If the biting animal is a dog, cat or ferret it will be required to complete a 10-day quarantine. Many times the animal can complete the quarantine period in its home, while other times the animal may be required to complete the quarantine period at the shelter. Physicians, veterinarians and other medical professionals must report all bites to Fort Wayne Animal Care & Control.

Biting pets are required to show proof of a rabies vaccine and must be microchipped within 30 days of completing a required quarantine.

We understand that some people may be hesitant to report bites because they are worried about what might happen to their dog. We understand that bites happen and it is our goal to keeps pets in their homes when possible. Biting dogs are not automatically euthanized, in fact most biting dogs complete their quarantine period and remain with their families if the owners wish to keep them. 

Dog bites are categorized into one of four "Levels" based on the circumstances and severity of bite. 

To learn more about Fort Wayne Animal Care & Control ordinances and reporting requirements please click HERE.

BATS

Bats transmit the most human cases of rabies in Indiana. While it is still a low percentage of bats that do carry rabies, a bat that is active during the day, is unable to fly, or is found in a place where bats are not usually seen -- such as a room in your home -- is more likely to be rabid.

Bats present an additional concern because they have small, sharp teeth which may not leave a visible mark. Persons exposed to bats are often given the rabies vaccine as a precaution, especially if the bat is found in a room with a young child or sleeping person.

In many cases, however, the expensive treatment is unnecessary if the bat can be safely captured alive and found to be rabies-free.

If a bat is found inside your home, do not kill it or set it free if there is a chance it may have come in contact with a person or pet. Instead, residents are urged to contain the bat and contact Animal Care & Control immediately so the bat can be tested for rabies.

To safely capture a bat indoors:

• close the windows, room and closet doors
• turn on lights
• wait for the bat to land
• wearing long sleeves and heavy gloves, cover the bat with a pail, coffee can or similar container
• NEVER touch a bat with your bare hands
• call your local animal control office

If you spot a grounded bat outdoors, you can prevent further contact with people and pets by covering it with a pail or similar container and then calling Animal Care & Control at 427-1244 option 1. 

WILD ANIMALS

It is against city ordinance to own, house or handle wild animals. Wild animals can transmit diseases to humans. Bats, skunks, foxes, raccoons and coyotes pose the greatest risk of transmitting rabies to humans in the state of Indiana. Dogs and cats can also transmit rabies to humans if they come into contact with an infected wild animal. 

If you find baby raccoons or other wild animals that need assistance from an Animal Control Officer DO NOT touch them. Handling wild animals puts them and you at risk. 

WHAT TO DO IF YOU'VE BEEN BITTEN

If a bite does occur, immediately wash the wound with soap and water and then seek medical attention. Call Fort Wayne Animal Care & Control at (260) 427-1244 or ask your healthcare provider or the emergency room staff to fax a completed bite report form to (260) 427-5514. ALL BITES MUST BE REPORTED TO FORT WAYNE ANIMAL CARE & CONTROL.

For more information about rabies click HERE. 

Fort Wayne, IN – Effective immediately Fort Wayne Animal Care & Control is suspending the adoption and intake of adolescent cats and kittens due to a recent outbreak of feline panleukopenia.

Feline panleukopenia, also known as the feline distemper or feline parvo, is a highly contagious virus that mostly affects unvaccinated kittens. Symptoms include fatigue, vomiting, diarrhea, and death. It is spread when a cat or kitten comes into contact with infected feces, vomit, nasal discharge and other bodily excretions. It does not affect people or other types of animals such as dogs.

FWACC is in the process of containing and decontaminating the shelter, and staff are testing and watching all cats currently at the shelter. All cats and kittens are vaccinated upon arrival at the shelter. To ensure the disease does not continue to spread to cats in our community, all adoptions of adolescent cats and kittens will be suspended until Tuesday, Aug 23 or it is determined safe by the shelter medical team.

Anyone who has adopted a cat or kitten from Fort Wayne Animal Care & Control, whether the shelter location or off-site, since Aug. 1 should monitor their pet at home. If it has or is showing symptoms please call our office at 427-1244 option 1 immediately so treatment can be given. Staff are working to contact adopters that may be affected by the outbreak.

To prevent further outbreak of panleukopenia in the shelter, the intake of cats and kittens will be diverted until Sept. 1 or until shelter medical staff determine the shelter can return to normal operations. Citizens who currently have an appointment to surrender an at-risk cat or kitten will be contacted and offered options to get the cat vaccinated at the shelter then keep it at their home until the shelter is ready and able to take the cat or kitten. Citizens bringing in stray cats or kittens will be offered the same service, vaccinations then the option to hold them in their home to prevent further spread of the disease. FWACC is an open access shelter, so if the citizen does not wish to take the cat or kitten home we will take it in. 

To further stop the spread of the disease in our community, all community cats will be vaccinated against feline panleukopenia before being returned to their colony.

Feline panleukopenia is a preventable disease. Kittens can receive the first round of vaccines to prevent the deadly disease at 4-6 weeks and should receive boosters as recommended by a veterinarian. Adult cats should also be vaccinated to prevent illness.

The shelter is seeking the community's immediate help with donations to the Angel Fund to help cover the cost of the additional vaccines needed for community cats.

Those wishing to donate can help by either purchasing needed supplies via the shelter’s Amazon Wishlist or making monetary donations through the shelter’s website.

Fort Wayne, IN – Fort Wayne Animal Care & Control has received a grant of $37,135 from the Orphan Kitten Club to support the shelter’s growing foster department.

The grant was used to hire two additional staff members to address an increase in the number of animals being saved through fostering. The additional staff will allow the foster department to take in more animals, provide more support to foster families, and provide more positive outcomes for animals coming into the shelter’s care.

The life-saving efforts of the foster department relies solely on donations and grants to provide care to the most at-risk animals in our community. More than 1,550 animals were saved by foster families last year, which is nearly five times more than the number of animals saved five years ago. More than 850 animals have been saved by the foster program so far this year.

Fort Wayne Animal Care & Control is always looking for more families willing to open their homes to foster animals in need. If you are interested in fostering or would like to support this program visit our foster website here.

About Orphan Kitten Club

The Orphan Kitten Club is a national organization founded by Hannah Shaw, better known as the Kitten Lady. The Kitten Lady is a professional kitten rescuer and humane educator who travels the country to teach classes about kitten care and has gained a loyal social media following.