Animal Disease Reporting

Certain diseases affecting animals must be reported to the NYC Department of Health.

Reports can be made by:

  • Veterinarians
  • People in charge of animal institutions, such as:
    • Animal hospitals
    • Rehabilitation facilities
    • Animal shelters
    • Other institutions or facilities providing animal care or treatment
    • Zoological parks
    • Veterinary diagnostic laboratories

How to Report an Animal Disease

Reportable Diseases

Report the following diseases immediately by phone if you suspect an animal is infected:

  • Anthrax
  • Brucellosis
  • Glanders
  • Influenza (novel with pandemic potential)
  • Monkeypox
  • Plague
  • Q fever
  • Rabies
  • SARS
  • Tularemia

Report the following within 24 hours by phone or fax upon laboratory diagnosis:

  • Arboviral encephalitides
  • Carbapenem-resistant organism (CRO)
  • Leptospirosis
  • Psittacosis
  • Rocky Mountain spotted fever
  • Salmonellosis
  • Tuberculosis

In addition, you have 24 hours to report any outbreak or suspected outbreak of any disease, condition or syndrome, in birds or animals, of known or unknown etiology, which may pose a danger to public health. You must also report any unusual manifestation of a disease in an animal within 24 hours.