Frequently Asked Questions

Rabies post-exposure treatment consists of a series of four rabies vaccines given in the same manner as a typical immunization, over the course of two weeks.  At the time of the first vaccine, a dose of human rabies immune globulin (HRIG) is also given.  Because HRIG is only available in emergency departments, that is where the vaccine series is started.  

For more information, including resources for uninsured and underinsured patients, visit the Centers for Disease Control. 

REMEMBER: Rabies vaccines work more effectively when given closer to your exposure date, seek treatment when necessary, in a timely manner.

If there was any type of contact between the animal and a person or pet, call the Health Department at 970-400-2290 before disposing of any carcasses. For disposal of an animal with no exposures, review the Animal Carcass Disposal guidance(PDF, 53KB) from the Colorado Department of Public Health & Environment.

In general, the best practice is to leave wildlife alone. You can take steps to protect your pets and your family by keeping pets vaccinated and spayed or neutered, and by educating children to not touch wild animals. 

If you notice a die-off (a large number of dead animals), this should be reported to either the Colorado Parks and Wildlife or the Weld County Department of Public Health and Environment (WCDPHE) (970-400-2290), as this could be a sign of disease. Healthy animals that have not had contact with pets or humans are generally not a concern.

For general nuisance questions or concerns, contact the nearest Colorado Parks and Wildlife office.

For concerns when you or your pet have an exposure to a wild animal, please contact WCDPHE at 970-400-2290. 

Baby animals can sometimes appear orphaned when they are not. The best thing to do is to leave the animal alone and keep pets and people away from the animal and wait for the mother to return. If the animal appears orphaned after several hours, it may be appropriate to contact a wildlife rehabilitation center for further advice. For a list of wildlife rehabilitators, visit https://cpw.widen.net/s/vqshfnw8x5/publicrehablisting. 

Before taking any pest control action, you should check to see if the animal in question is a protected species. Contact Colorado Parks and Wildlife for more information: https://cpw.state.co.us/aboutus/Pages/ContactUs.aspx.