For Immediate Release
Friday August 29, 2025 at 10am | Windsor-Essex
As we enter another long weekend, the Windsor-Essex County Health Unit (WECHU), Essex-Windsor Emergency Medical Services (EMS), Windsor Regional Hospital (WRH), Erie Shores HealthCare (ESHC), and Hôtel-Dieu Grace Healthcare (HDGH) are reminding residents in Windsor and Essex County, that seeking urgent medical care through our local hospital emergency room departments should only be used in circumstances where it is necessary.
If you’re bitten or scratched by a domestic animal (your own, a stray or someone else’s), a wild animal or directly exposed to a bat (bite, scratch, or the bat has touched or landed on you):
- Wash the wound with soap and warm water for at least 15 minutes (WHO, 2016)
- Seek Health Care Provider Support:
- Seek immediate medical attention through urgent care or a hospital emergency department if the wound is deep, bleeding, or showing early signs of infection like swelling, redness, or pain.
- If you are bitten or scratched by an animal and the wound is not deep, not bleeding and shows no signs of infection, you should:
- Contact your Health Care Provider or seek non-urgent medical care (walk in clinic).
- Report to public health: Contact the WECHU to report the incident. They will investigate the exposure and help determine if rabies shots are necessary. Report the incident to us at 519-258-2146 ext. 4475. If the incident occurs outside of regular business hours, or on a holiday call us at 519- 973-4510.
If you’ve been bitten or scratched by a bat or other wild animal, do not attempt to catch the animal or provoke it. Contact a professional if the animal needs to be captured. If you’ve been bitten or scratched by a domestic animal, it is your responsibility and best interest to attempt to obtain as much information about the animal, such as owners’ name, address and phone number. This will assist the WECHU’s Public Health Inspector when investigating the animal exposure.
If your health concern does not require the emergency department, we have several options available in the community and virtually. Go to Windsor Regional Hospital – ED Alternatives or Erie Shores Healthcare – ED Alternatives for a list of these options in our community.
