Health Alert: Dog Bite on Monkey Run Trail (Freese Road, Varna)

Tompkins County Whole Health’s Environmental Health Division (EH) must locate a dog that bit a person on Friday, April 24, 2026, between 5:00pm – 6:00pm on the Monkey Run Trail (Varna), close to the foot bridge near Freese Road. The person was jogging on the trail and was bit on the leg when they crossed paths with an off-leash dog. 

The dog is described as a medium to large sized black poodle. The dog was accompanied by two people who presented as a couple, who appeared to be white and between the ages of 60-70 years old. 

EH seeks to verify 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 will not be necessary for the person who was bitten. 

Anyone with information regarding this dog is urged to call the Tompkins County Environmental Health Division at (607) 274-6688. Staff are on-call to respond to messages received by the answering service, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.    

We would like to remind the public the importance of getting bites checked as soon as possible to determine if rabies post-exposure treatment is needed.  

Tompkins County Whole Health reminds everyone to: 

1. Avoid contact with any unfamiliar cats or dogs and any wild animals.
2. All cats, dogs and ferrets must have initial rabies vaccinations administered no later than four months of age.  Keep vaccinations current! Check our website for free rabies vaccination clinics, held at multiple times throughout the year. Our next clinic will be held on Wednesday, May 27th, from 6pm-8pm, at the Danby Fire Hall (1780 Danby Road, Ithaca). Register online for an appointment.  
3. 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 any mere skin contact with a bat, or a bat in a room with a child, or sleeping or impaired person. 

Further information can be found at: tompkinscountyny.gov/health/eh/rabies. 

_{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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