Health Alert: EH Seeks Info About a Dog Bite on 5 Mile Drive (Ithaca)

Published on June 08, 2026

Tompkins County Environmental Health Bite/Rabies Alert: Report to EH 24/7 at 607-274-6688: all animal bites or scratches, or suspicious encounters with potentially rabid animals. For emergencies, dial 911.

Tompkins County Whole Health’s Environmental Health Division (EH) must locate a dog that bit a person on Sunday, June 7, 2026, around 2:00pm, along the 600 block of Five Mile Drive (NYS Route 13-A), Ithaca. The person was bit while attempting to break up a dog fight.  

The biting dog is described as a black lab mix, roughly 40-50lbs with short legs. The dog owner presented as a white male, approximately 50 years old, with medium length curly black hair. The owner left with their dog before any contact information could be exchanged. 

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. 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). 
  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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