Plague: What You Can Do

Care should be taken to avoid contact with mammals such as rabbits, rodents and prairie dogs. Protect pets by keeping them indoors or administering flea control for outdoor pets or animals. Rodent-proof your home, vehicles and other buildings. To manage the risk of becoming infected, apply insect repellent to clothing and skin, and wear a mask and gloves if handling rabbits, rodents or other dead animals that may have fleas. Plague can be identified microscopically by examination of bodily fluids. Contact your physician immediately if you develop flu-like symptoms after handling wildlife.

Report any large-scale die-offs (five or more animals in a small area) to AZGFD. To report dead wildlife, please call the Wildlife Disease Hotline at 877-972-8426. Wildlife health personnel will respond Monday through Friday during normal business hours. You can leave a message if it is before or after business hours. Fresh samples are required for testing. A recently dead small animal can be collected by using a shovel or other object to bag the animal while wearing gloves, long sleeves and pants, and then placed into a freezer. If you have a wildlife-related emergency, please call our 24-hour dispatch center at 623-236-7201. If the animal you are calling about has been shot and you are reporting possible illegal activity, call Operation Game Thief at 800-352-0700.