HABRI Central

In 1993 and 1994 total, there were 247 people reported to have been bitten by animals in Benton County, Oregon. Of the 243 biting animals, 70 percent were dogs, 25 percent cats, and 5 percent other animals such as ferrets, mice, rats, bats, and skunks. Fifty-four percent of all bites occurred in Corvallis, a district of Benton County that contains 62 percent of Benton County's population. Over 50 percent of the animal bites were reported to the Benton County Health Department by local medical centers treating the wounds and by the local police department. Of the 247 animal bites investigated, 79 percent of the animals were quarantined. The average time for a health department official to investigate a bite was estimated to be 0.52 hours/bite and the average cost was $39/bite. The average cost of investigating animal bites was estimated to be $4789 per year (1.2 percent of the Environmental Health Division's total direct expenditures).

Researchers should cite this work as follows:

1. Animal roles
2. Animal welfare
3. Bites and stings
4. Health
5. Medical care
6. treatment