Rabies Testing

If you were bitten by an animal or potentially exposed to rabies, report it using the Animal Bites Report Form.
To submit an animal for rabies testing, complete the Rabies Testing Submission Form. Follow the instructions on the form.
To arrange for proper drop-off of live animal such as a bat, call 401-222-5588.
For questions about test results, call 401-222-2577.

Mission

To test animals for rabies to find out if someone may have been exposed to the virus and ensure treatment begins as soon as possible.

Perform rabies diagnostic testing on animals that have exhibited symptoms of neurological illness and that have either bitten, or come into potential contact with, a person.
Report findings to the RIDOH Center for Acute Infectious Disease Epidemiology in a timely manner to inform the course of treatment for individuals known or suspected of being exposed to rabies.
Maintain a trained on-call group of scientists to conduct and interpret these results and report them rapidly.

In 2022, the laboratory tested 536 animals of which 27 (5.0%) were found to be positive for rabies virus. The highest number of tests occurred during the late summer months, but the data show that rabies-positive animals can be found all year long.