If a dog or cat bites you, first rinse the wound with soap and plenty of clean water for 15 minutes, then disinfect it with an iodine antiseptic (優碘) or 70% alcohol, and get medical assessment as soon as possible (the Taiwan Centers for Disease Control (Taiwan CDC) steps "1 record, 2 rinse, 3 get to care, 4 observe", 1記、2沖、3送、4觀). Under the Taiwan CDC's table of who gets vaccinated, in effect since May 3, 2019, a person bitten in Taiwan by a domestic or stray dog or cat generally does not get a rabies vaccine for now; instead the animal is confined and observed for 10 days, and the vaccine is given only if the animal shows suspected rabies symptoms during that time and the animal quarantine authority is highly suspicious. For scratches or bites from wild mammals such as ferret-badgers, civets and bats, you must get to a doctor and be vaccinated immediately. Whether a tetanus booster is needed is decided by the doctor from the type of wound, how many doses you have had before, and how long ago the last dose was.
Reminder: the file of who gets vaccinated on the Taiwan CDC's rabies "Vaccines and HRIG" page (疫苗與HRIG) is marked as last updated September 2, 2026, while the contents of the file still say they apply from May 3, 2019; the tetanus wound-handling principles come from a Taiwan CDC attachment (revised October 2011). Bites from dogs and cats in countries where rabies is endemic come under different recommendations (the World Health Organization exposure categories). This article gives general information only; whether to have a vaccine, immune globulin or a tetanus vaccine is always decided by a doctor. Since January 1, 2014, rabies vaccine and immune globulin have been covered by National Health Insurance (NHI), for people who meet the Taiwan CDC's vaccination recommendations (such as scratches or bites from wild mammals); people scratched or bitten by stray dogs or cats or other wild animals who insist on being vaccinated must pay out of pocket.
At the moment of the bite: 1 record, 2 rinse, 3 get to care, 4 observe
| Step | What to do (Taiwan CDC health education) |
|---|
| 1 Record | Stay calm and remember the animal's features (breed, coat color, collar, where it hangs around); you will need them later to decide whether to be vaccinated |
| 2 Rinse | Immediately rinse the wound with soap and plenty of clean water for 15 minutes, then disinfect with an iodine antiseptic or 70% alcohol |
| 3 Get to care | Get to a doctor as soon as possible to be assessed for whether a vaccine is needed |
| 4 Observe | Wherever possible, confine the biting animal and observe it for 10 days; if the animal is in a violent rage, do not take risks trying to catch it |
The Taiwan CDC's clinical guideline for doctors also states: the wound is to be rinsed with soap and plenty of running water for at least 15 minutes, and the body checked in detail for other scratches or bites; areas with many nerves, such as the head, neck, face and upper limbs, must especially not be missed. An animal licking broken skin or the mucous membranes of your mouth or nose also counts as exposure.
Whether to get the rabies vaccine: it depends on the animal
Taiwan confirmed rabies virus infection in wild ferret-badgers in 2013 and is now classed as a rabies-occurrence area; but according to the Taiwan CDC, the diseased animals are mainly wild ferret-badgers in central, southern and eastern Taiwan, and there has been no transmission among dog and cat populations; there have been no locally acquired human cases since 1959. So the recommendation for post-exposure vaccination in Taiwan depends on the type of animal:
| Animal that bit | Taiwan CDC post-exposure vaccine recommendation | Notes |
|---|
| Domestic dog, domestic cat | No vaccine for now | If the animal shows suspected rabies symptoms within the 10-day observation period and the animal quarantine authority is highly suspicious, the vaccine is given |
| Stray dog, stray cat | No vaccine for now | Same as above; wherever possible, confine the biting animal and observe it for 10 days. The vaccination table does not make "finding the animal" a condition for vaccination, so go to a doctor as usual even if the animal cannot be found |
| Wild mammals (ferret-badger, civet, bat, yellow-throated marten, and, in Taitung City, shrew (錢鼠), among others) | Exposure category 2 or above (inclusive): see a doctor immediately and be vaccinated | If the animal tests negative, vaccination can stop; the location of exposure to wild mammals applies nationwide (shrews only in Taitung City) |
| Cases outside the groups above (for example other wild animals), or scratches or bites from stray dogs or cats where the person still insists on being vaccinated | Can be vaccinated at your own expense while vaccine supply is stable | The Taiwan CDC explains that the infection risk from such scratches and bites is extremely low and vaccination is not recommended; the doctor assesses |
Definitions of exposure category (Taiwan CDC table 1): category 2 is a minor bite on bare skin, or a small scratch or abrasion without bleeding; category 3 is a single or multiple bite or scratch wounds that break through to the dermis, an animal licking broken skin, or mucous membranes contaminated by animal saliva; a scratch or bite from a bat, or a wound or mucous membrane contacting bat saliva, also counts as category 3. For category 3 exposure and for certain wild animals, the doctor may separately assess rabies immune globulin.
Bitten by a dog or cat abroad: the Taiwan CDC reminds travelers that a scratch or bite from a dog, cat or other wild mammal during a trip abroad requires considering the infection risk and seeing a doctor promptly. If vaccination was started abroad and not finished after returning, you can see a doctor with the foreign diagnosis certificate or vaccination record, and the remaining doses follow on from the original schedule; if you cannot account for the vaccination received abroad, you will start again from dose 1.
How the rabies vaccine is given and what it costs
- Doses: the Taiwan CDC health education leaflet says that people never vaccinated before get one dose each on days 0, 3, 7 and 14 after exposure (day 0 is the day of the first dose), with return visit dates set by the doctor; people who previously completed the full course before or after exposure, if bitten again, generally get one dose each on days 0 and 3. People with weakened immune function have a separate schedule.
- If delayed: if a dose is delayed for any reason, carry on with the unfinished doses as soon as possible; you do not need to start over.
- Cost: since January 1, 2014, the rabies vaccine and immune globulin needed for treating animal scratches and bites have been covered by National Health Insurance (NHI), but the people covered follow the Taiwan CDC vaccination recommendations (currently scratches and bites from wild mammals, among others); people scratched or bitten by stray dogs or cats or other wild animals who insist on being vaccinated can do so at their own expense while vaccine supply is stable (Ministry of Health and Welfare press release, May 2019); every county and city (including the outlying islands) has hospitals or health stations offering human rabies vaccination, and the list is published on the Taiwan CDC's "Vaccines and HRIG" page.
- Vaccination before exposure: there is no need for the general public to be vaccinated in advance; veterinarians, animal disease-control workers, dog catchers, mountain patrol rangers and people who often go deep into the mountains are among the recommended groups.
Whether you need a tetanus booster
Tetanus bacterial spores usually enter the body through puncture wounds contaminated with soil, dust, or animal or human feces; lacerations and ordinary wounds are also possible routes. The incubation period is about 3 to 21 days, and most cases develop within 14 days. The Taiwan CDC's rabies clinical guideline states that tetanus vaccine or immune globulin for animal scratches and bites "should be handled the same as for other scratch and bite wounds". The Taiwan CDC's principles for tetanus prevention after wounds are as follows (whether a wound counts as "small and clean" is decided by the doctor):
| Past tetanus toxoid vaccination | Small, clean wounds | All other wounds |
|---|
| Uncertain, or fewer than 3 doses | Tetanus vaccine needed (Tdap or Td); immune globulin not needed | Vaccine needed, and tetanus immune globulin also needed |
| 3 doses or more | Not needed; but a booster is needed if the last dose was more than 10 years ago | Not needed; but a booster is needed if the last dose was more than 5 years ago |
When you see the doctor, say proactively whether the wound was contaminated by soil or feces, and when you remember having your last tetanus vaccine. The Taiwan CDC recommends that workers who come into contact with soil, filth or animals have a booster every 10 years.
Symptoms to watch for after you get home
- Rabies: the incubation period is usually 1 to 3 months, as short as under a week and as long as more than a year. Early symptoms are non-specific ones such as fever, sore throat, fatigue and headache, or an odd sensation at the bite site; afterward there may be agitation, fear, difficulty swallowing and fear of water. Once symptoms appear the fatality rate is nearly 100%, so the point is to treat the wound promptly after the bite, not to wait for symptoms.
- Tetanus: the danger signs are being unable to open the mouth and difficulty swallowing and breathing; the common first symptoms are abdominal stiffness and muscle spasms. If these symptoms appear, see a doctor immediately.
- Observing the animal (this article's suggestion): if during the observation period the animal dies, goes missing or behaves abnormally (for example attacks for no reason), report immediately to your doctor and the animal disease-control authority.
Taipei and New Taipei contacts: animal observation, reporting and advice
| Agency | Phone | What you can ask |
|---|
| Taipei animal protection office (臺北市動物保護處) | (02)8789-7158 (Monday to Friday 9:00–17:00) | Observation of biting dogs and cats, stray animals, suspected abnormal animals |
| New Taipei animal protection and disease control office (新北市政府動物保護防疫處) | New Taipei 1999 (within New Taipei) or the city hall switchboard (02)2960-3456 for transfer | Same as above (the phone number on the office's website could not be read this time; go by the official website) |
| Taiwan CDC epidemic prevention hotline | 1922 or 0800-001922 | Hospitals that give rabies vaccine, follow-up vaccination after a bite abroad |
For pet registration and rabies preventive vaccination rules for your own dog or cat, see how to register a pet; for leashing a dog and the related penalties, see how much the fine is for walking a dog without a leash. For whom to call when a snake or another animal gets into your home, see what to do about a snake or beehive at home.
FAQ
If my own dog bites me, do I need the rabies vaccine?
Generally not for now. Under the Taiwan CDC table of who gets vaccinated, a bite in Taiwan from a domestic dog or cat generally gets no vaccine for now, and the animal is confined and observed for 10 days; the vaccine is given only if suspected rabies symptoms appear during the observation period and the animal quarantine authority is highly suspicious. You still need to rinse the wound for 15 minutes and see a doctor.
What if I am bitten by a ferret-badger, civet or bat?
Rinse immediately with soap and water for 15 minutes, disinfect, and see a doctor. The Taiwan CDC recommends vaccination for scratches or bites from wild mammals that count as category 2 or above exposure, and a bat scratch or bite is treated as category 3; if the animal tests negative, vaccination can stop.
How many doses of rabies vaccine are needed? Do I pay myself?
People never vaccinated before need 4 doses after exposure, listed in the Taiwan CDC health education leaflet as days 0, 3, 7 and 14, scheduled by the doctor. People who meet the Taiwan CDC vaccination recommendations (for example scratches or bites from wild mammals such as ferret-badgers, civets and bats) are covered by NHI; for bites in Taiwan from domestic or stray dogs and cats, the vaccine is generally not given for now and is not among the people covered by NHI (the Taiwan CDC explains that the risk of dogs and cats in Taiwan carrying rabies virus is extremely low), and anyone who insists on being vaccinated must pay out of pocket.
I was bitten by a stray dog and it ran off and I cannot find it. What do I do?
Rinse the wound for 15 minutes in the same way, disinfect it and see a doctor, and tell the doctor the dog's features and where it hangs around. For scratches and bites from stray dogs and cats in Taiwan, the Taiwan CDC table of who gets vaccinated recommends "no vaccine for now", and it does not make finding the animal and completing observation a condition for vaccination; the vaccine is given only if suspected rabies symptoms appear within the 10-day observation period and the animal quarantine authority is highly suspicious. The Taiwan CDC explains that the Ministry of Agriculture's (農業部) surveillance of stray dogs and cats from 1999 to 2023 was negative every time and the infection risk for dogs and cats in Taiwan is extremely low; if you still insist on being vaccinated, you can do so at your own expense while vaccine supply is stable, with the doctor assessing. If you suspect the biting animal is ill (for example it shows clearly abnormal behavior such as attacking for no reason), report it to the animal disease-control authority.
I had a tetanus shot as a child. Do I still need one after a bite?
It depends on the wound and the time of the last dose: if you have had 3 or more doses, for a small, clean wound a booster is needed if the last dose was more than 10 years ago, and for other wounds if it was more than 5 years ago; if you are uncertain or have had fewer than 3 doses, a vaccination is needed, as judged by the doctor.
I was bitten by a stray dog abroad. What do I do back in Taiwan?
The wound should first be washed and treated by a doctor where you are. After returning, see a doctor with the foreign diagnosis certificate or vaccination record, and the remaining doses follow on from the original schedule; if you cannot account for how many doses you have had, you will start again from dose 1.
Last updated: 2026-11-03
This article was compiled by SOSfix editors from public information and is for general reference only. For individual cases, contact a doctor, the Taiwan CDC at 1922, the Taipei animal protection office or the New Taipei animal protection and disease control office.
Sources
- Taiwan CDC: Chinese health education information on human rabies vaccination (人用狂犬病疫苗接種中文衛教資訊; revised 2019-01-11, downloaded 2026-11-02) (in Chinese): 1 record, 2 rinse, 3 get to care, 4 observe; 15-minute rinse and iodine antiseptic or 70% alcohol; 10-day observation; post-exposure doses on days 0, 3, 7 and 14, and days 0 and 3 for people fully vaccinated before; incubation period.
- Taiwan CDC: who gets post-exposure immune globulin and vaccine (暴露後免疫球蛋白及疫苗接種對象; tables 1 and 2, in effect from May 3, 2019; marked updated 2026-09-02 in the file row on the "Vaccines and HRIG" page, downloaded 2026-11-02) (in Chinese): no vaccine for now for domestic and stray dogs and cats, 10-day observation; wild mammals category 2 or above vaccinated immediately; vaccination can stop if the test is negative; those outside the groups pay themselves; definitions of category 2 and category 3 exposure.
- Ministry of Health and Welfare news: domestic supply of human rabies vaccine stabilizing, Taiwan CDC adjusts who gets vaccinated (國內人用狂犬病疫苗供貨趨穩，疾管署調整疫苗接種適用對象; filed 2019-05-14, verified 2026-11-02) (in Chinese): NHI covers scratches and bites from wild mammals such as ferret-badgers, civets, bats and shrews in Taitung City; scratches and bites from stray dogs and cats are not covered for now, the infection risk is extremely low and vaccination is not recommended, and those who insist can pay themselves.
- Taiwan CDC: clinical management guideline for scratches and bites from animals suspected of rabies or lyssavirus infection (疑似狂犬病或麗沙病毒感染動物抓咬傷臨床處置指引; updated version of 2019-05-03 adding the yellow-throated marten, downloaded 2026-11-02) (in Chinese): rinsing the wound for at least 15 minutes, checking for other wounds, tetanus handled like other scratches and bites, delayed vaccination continues without starting over, continuing vaccination begun abroad after returning.
- Taiwan CDC: rabies "Vaccines and HRIG" (疫苗與HRIG; file row for who gets vaccinated last updated 2026-09-02, other file rows carry different dates, verified 2026-11-02) (in Chinese): the file of who gets vaccinated, the 2026–2027 list of hospitals offering human rabies vaccination, the list of hospitals stocking immune globulin (version 1151012).
- Taiwan CDC: rabies Q&A (狂犬病 Q&A; relevant questions last updated 2024-04-23 and 2025-01-07, verified 2026-11-03) (in Chinese): why dog and cat scratches and bites are not among those covered by NHI (the Ministry of Agriculture's (農業部) surveillance of stray dogs and cats from 1999 to 2023 was always negative, the infection risk for dogs and cats in Taiwan is extremely low, and stray dogs and cats are treated like domestic ones with no vaccine for now); keep the animal under observation for 10 days wherever possible, it does not need to be brought to the hospital, and suspected diseased animals should be reported to the animal disease-control authority.
- Taiwan CDC: rabies disease introduction (狂犬病疾病介紹; last updated 2021-04-01, verified 2026-11-02) (in Chinese): rabies situation in Taiwan (ferret-badgers and civets, no transmission among dog and cat populations, no locally acquired human cases after 1959), NHI coverage from January 1, 2014, groups recommended for vaccination before exposure, symptoms, incubation period of 1–3 months.
- Taiwan CDC: tetanus disease introduction and attachment 1, principles for tetanus prevention after wounds (破傷風疾病介紹及附件一「受傷後傷口之預防破傷風處理措施原則」; page last updated 2026-04-21; attachment revised October 2011, verified 2026-11-02) (in Chinese): how it spreads, incubation period of 3–21 days, booster every 10 years, vaccine and immune globulin decided by vaccination history and type of wound.
- Taiwan CDC: tetanus Q&A (破傷風 Q&A; last updated 2019-06-06, verified 2026-11-02) (in Chinese): tetanus danger signs: being unable to open the mouth, difficulty swallowing and breathing; first symptoms of abdominal stiffness and muscle spasms.
- Taipei animal protection office: website footer (臺北市動物保護處; verified 2026-11-02) (in Chinese): phone (02)8789-7158, hours Monday to Friday 9:00–17:00.
- New Taipei City Government: website footer (新北市政府; verified 2026-11-02) (in Chinese): (02)2960-3456 or 1999 (within New Taipei).
