EH Seeks Info About a Dog Bite in Fields Near Hanshaw Rd at Freese Rd.
Published on December 16, 2025
Tompkins County Whole Health’s Environmental Health Division (EH) must locate a dog that bit a person today, Tuesday, December 16, 2025, around 2:00 PM, while they were cross country skiing in the fields that Cornell University owns, south of Hanshaw Rd. and west of Freese Rd. (Dryden).
There were two dogs present, both large black dogs (possibly Bernese Mountain dogs). The dogs were unleashed at the time of the incident. After the incident, the owner of the dogs put a leash on the biting dog. The non-biting dog was called by the name Nova. The owner of the dogs presented as a white female who was wearing a large, parka style coat.
The person who was bit did not realize that the bite had broken their skin, so contact information was not exchanged.
EH seeks to monitor the health of the biting dog through an at home observation over a ten-day period. If the dog can be located and observed to be healthy by EH, the risk of rabies infection can be ruled out and rabies post-exposure treatment for the person who was bitten will not be necessary.
Anyone with information regarding this dog is urged to call EH at (607) 274-6688. Staff are available at this number to take calls related to rabies and bites, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.
We would like to remind the public the importance of reporting bites to EH as soon as possible to determine if rabies post-exposure treatment is needed. It is also important to exchange contact information when a bite occurs. This allows EH the opportunity to contact the owner to verify the health of the animal after a 10-day observation period and rule out the possibility rabies was transmitted from the bite.
Tompkins County Whole Health reminds everyone to:
- Avoid contact with any unfamiliar cats or dogs and any wild animals.
- All cats, dogs and ferrets must have initial rabies vaccinations administered no later than four months of age. Keep vaccinations current! Check back to our website for our next round of free rabies vaccination clinics. Our next one will be held January 14th, 2026. For other free or low-cost rabies vaccine programs, contact the local chapter of the Street Dog Coalition or the Cornell Healthy Pet Clinic held at Ithaca’s Southside Community Center (305 S. Plain St., Ithaca).
- Report the following incidents to Tompkins County Environmental Health at 607-274-6688:
- All animal bites or scratches.
- Any human or pet contact with saliva or other potentially infectious material (brain tissue, spinal tissue, or cerebrospinal fluid) of wild animals or any animal suspected of having rabies.
- All bat bites, scratches, or direct contact. Also report instances when a bat has been in a room with a sleeping person, a small child, a person under the influence of drugs or alcohol, or if the person has a sensory or mental impairment.
Further information can be found on our website: TCWH Environmental Health - Rabies Program
Tompkins County Whole Health: envisioning a future where every person in Tompkins County can achieve wellness. Find us online at: https://www.tompkinscountyny.gov/health and follow us on Facebook, Instagram or X. Sign up to receive Whole Health updates or other county announcements via email or text.
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