State guide
Arkansas
Arkansas’s official rabies and bite reporting information is centralized through the Arkansas Department of Health, which says mammal bites must be reported immediately. For injured or orphaned wildlife, the Arkansas Game and Fish Commission maintains the state rehabilitation page and links to current rehabilitator lists for non-birds and migratory birds.
Checked against official sources on October 4, 2026. Rules and links change; confirm with the office listed before you act.
- Who handles animal control locally
- Arkansas commonly uses city animal services or city police/animal control divisions in municipalities, while ADH says animal control or law enforcement may need simultaneous notice for mammalian bite incidents.
- State wildlife agency (nuisance and injured wildlife)
- Arkansas Game and Fish Commission
- Nuisance wildlife help
- Official page →
- Reporting an animal bite
- Arkansas law requires animal bites from mammals to be immediately reported to the Arkansas Department of Health.
- State rabies contact
- Arkansas Department of Health - Zoonotic Disease / State Public Health Veterinarian
Official resources in Arkansas
Use this page to report mammalian animal bites and find Arkansas reporting instructions.
Use this page for Arkansas rabies guidance, maps, testing information, and the zoonotic disease contact.
State wildlife help page for injured, sick, or orphaned wildlife, with links to rehabilitator lists.
Current public list of permitted Arkansas wildlife rehabilitators for species other than birds.
Use this page for nuisance-wildlife help, hotline information, and wildlife control operator resources.
Key facts for Arkansas
- ADH says animal bites from mammals must be immediately reported to the Arkansas Department of Health.
- ADH’s animal-bite flyer says animal control or law enforcement should be notified simultaneously where applicable.
- AGFC oversees rehabilitators that take in sick, injured, or orphaned wildlife for release.
- AGFC says its wildlife rehabilitation permit does not allow rehabilitation of white-tailed deer, elk, black bears, or birds.
- AGFC’s nuisance wildlife hotline is 833-345-0315 during 8 a.m.-4:30 p.m.
- ADH lists Zoonotic Disease contact phone 501-280-4136 on its rabies page.
Local animal control offices in Arkansas
| Office | city | phone | Details |
|---|---|---|---|
| Little Rock Animal Services | Little Rock | (501) 376-3067 | City animal services division that handles stray, injured, neglected, abused, and bite-related animal issues in Little Rock. |
| Fayetteville Animal Services Washington | Fayetteville | 479-444-3456 | City animal services enforces the Arkansas Rabies Control Act and city ordinances, runs the shelter, and provides 24-hour emergency service for injured stray animals. |
| Fort Smith Police Department Animal Control Division Sebastian | Fort Smith | Not published* | Animal Control Division serves Fort Smith residents through the city’s request-service portal. |
* Not published: the official page doesn't list it. Call the office to confirm before you rely on it.
What to do next
- If a person is bitten by a mammal, submit the ADH bite report right away and also notify local animal control or law enforcement if confinement help is needed.
- For injured or orphaned wildlife, check AGFC’s rehabilitation page first and contact a listed rehabilitator before moving the animal.
- If the issue is nuisance wildlife threatening people, livestock, or property, use AGFC’s nuisance wildlife resources and hotline.
Not seeing your office or county?
Not every office publishes its rules online. Try these, in order:
- General Start with the statewide information above.
- Closest verified Nearest places where we have verified local data outside this state (distance from Arkansas's population center, for comparison only):
- DeSoto County Animal Services, Mississippi · about 157 miles
- City of Southaven Animal Control, Mississippi · about 157 miles
- Memphis Animal Services, Tennessee · about 157 miles
- Call to confirm Ask the official office.Arkansas Game and Fish Commission - Wildlife Rehabilitation
Website →Phone: (833) 345-0325 (as listed on that page, checked Oct 4, 2026)Your city or county office: Local governments →Not sure who handles it locally? USAGov's free help line, 1-844-872-4681, or the Arkansas page on USA.gov can point you to the right office. - Know the current info? Tell us with a link to the official page.