• Be aware that pets can cause falls.

• Be aware of where your pet is. A collar with a bell for a cat or even a small dog can help you hear when your pet is nearby.

• Understand the importance of obedience training. Training can help reduce pet behaviors like pushing and pulling.

• Keep pet toys and food bowls in places where they cannot cause trips and falls.

•  Always supervise children with pets.

• Teach children how to respect and interact with pets safely. Make sure children learn:

  • To ask an animal's owner before they pet

  • Not to kiss pets and to keep their face away from a pet's face

  • Not to bother pets when they are eating, sleeping and around their babies

• Know what to do if someone is bitten or scratched by a pet.

North Carolina law requires that owners of dogs, cats, and ferrets keep their pets up to date on rabies vaccines starting at 4 months of age. The law also requires that bites from these animals be reported to the local health department by:

• The person who is bitten

• The owner or person who has the biting animal

• Doctors caring for people bitten by an animal known to be a possible carrier of rabies 

In Wake County, the Health and Human Services Communicable Disease Program (919-250-4462) investigates all bites to:

• See of there is a possibility of exposure to rabies

• Make sure the person(s) bitten get needed treatment (wound care, antibiotics, and tetanus vaccine) 

• Make sure the person(s) bitten get rabies vaccine if there is a exposure to rabies

The Communicable Disease Program works closely with area animal control offices to make sure reported animals are watched for signs of rabies. 

Wash your hands after:

• Touching or playing with your pet

• Feeding your pet, handling its food, and cleaning food and water dishes

• Handling pet habitats and equipment (cages, toys, bedding, tanks, etc.)

• Cleaning up after pets and handling their waste

• Leaving coops, barns, stalls, pens, and other places animals live (even if you don't touch an animal)

• Removing soiled clothes and shoes

Make sure your pet:

• Has a good diet, fresh water, and clean bedding

• Gets enough exercise

• Gets regular veterinary care

  • Keep your pet's rabies and other vaccines up to date.

  • Keep your pet free from fleas, ticks, and worms.

  • Spay or neuter your pet.

Keep your pet from roaming freely without supervision. Keep them in your yard or on a leash.

Keep your pet away from wild animals that may carry disease.

Practicing good pet hygiene includes:

• Cleaning up pet waste. Dog and cat feces (poop) can contain germs and worms that can spread to people. Use a bag to remove poop from your yard and public places. Dispose of it in proper areas. Don't forget to wash your hands after cleaning up pet waste.

• Keeping children away from areas that may have pet waste. Keep sandboxes covered to keep cats out. Clean cat litter boxes every day. (Pregnant women should avoid cleaning litter boxes if possible.)

• Not cleaning pet supplies and equipment in areas where food is prepared and eaten, or in the kitchen and bathroom sinks.

• Don't touch, keep or feed wild animals. You cannot always tell by looking if an animal has rabies or other diseases.

• Keep your home from attracting wildlife.

• Stay away from animals you don't know. Teach children to do the same. "Love your own, leave others alone" is a good rule to remember.

• Report stray animals to your local animal control office.