HEALTH AND WELFARE

 

Mountainside shares Health and Welfare services with Westfield. It has, and continues to be, a mutually beneficial arrangement between the two municipalities.

 

Health Department

 

Welfare and General Assistance

 

 

Health Department

 

Megan Cornish, Health Officer


Click here for the Westfield Regional Health Department's web site.

 

Among the responsibilities of the Health Department is the inspection and licensing of food handling establishments in the Borough. The Department also has the responsibility to make inspections to determine the condition of dwellings, dwelling units, and premises located within the Borough in order to safe guard the health and general safety of the public. The Department operates child health clinics; health education programs; rabies education programs and follow-up on rabies exposures; restaurant inspections; water and other environmental testing; public swimming pool inspections; and general health complaints.

 

Rabies Advisory

 

Rabies is: 

  1. A fatal disease spread by the saliva of infected animals via bites, scratches, or exposure of open cuts or mucous membrane (i.e., eyes, mouth, nose) to the saliva. There is no cure for humans unless treatment starts before symptoms begin. There is no cure for unvaccinated pets
  2. Found in all mammals, especially raccoons, skunks, bats, groundhogs, foxes; can infect all mammals including cats and dogs. 
  3. Can cause animals to behave in various ways: they may become very friendly or very aggressive -- you cannot tell when an animal is rabid. 
  4. It is very important to have the suspected animal alive or dead with head intact: The only way to be sure an animal has rabies is to quarantine a dog or cat. There is o quarantine period for wild animals. They must be euthanized, and their brain tissue tested for rabies. 

Prevention:

  1. Do not touch your pet without gloves for four (4) hours after it has been in contact with a possibly rabid animal (your pet's coat should be dry) to prevent infective saliva on your pet's coat from entering open cuts on your hands or from entering mucous membrane such as eyes or nose. 
  2. If your pet has been outdoors and comes home with cuts, wet fur, or behaving as if it may have been in contact with a stray or wild animal, do not handle your pet without gloves for four hours. 
  3. Be sure to keep pets currently vaccinated against rabies: All dogs must be vaccinated and licensed, cats must be vaccinated. 
  4. Instruct children to avoid touching any animals they don't know, particularly stray cats and wild animals, or any unvaccinated pet. 
  5. Animal proof your home: Discourage wild animals from taking up residence under decks and in chimneys, or in attics, avoid feeding pets outdoors, and keep household trash in solid containers with tight fitting lids. 
  6. Keep pets indoors if possible: Avoid tying pets outdoors unattended. They may be attacked and injured, or may have contaminated saliva on their fur from a previous exposure, without your knowledge. Enclosed runs are safer, but don't guarantee that exposure won't occur. 
  7. Have stray animals removed: To remove strays (i.e. cats), call the Humane Society for pick-up or placement of have-a-heart traps. Never handle strays. 
  8. Call the Police and the Humane Society if you observe a wild animal behaving unusually friendly or unusually aggressive, sick or stumbling. 

 

Rabies Emergency Procedures

Post in a convenient place 

If your pet is fighting with another animal:

  1. Do not get between fighting animals. Do not handle your pet without gloves for four (4) hours after the contact (and coat is dry). 
  2. Call the Police and the Humane Society. 
  3. Identify and watch the attacking animal from a safe position until help arrives, without endangering yourself, contain the animal, if possible (i.e., close in garage, etc.). 
  4. The head of the animal must remain intact so that the brain tissue can be tested. Try not to damage the head of the animal if possible. 

IF A PERSON IS BITTEN OR SCRATCHED:

  1. Immediately wash the wound. 
  2. Call the Police and Humane Society. If the person is bitten by a domestic animal, get the owner's name and address if possible. Call the Police and the Humane Society immediately so the animal can be tested or quarantined (even if it is dog or cat you know). 
  3. Call the Health Department and your physician. 

IF YOUR CAT OR DOG COMES HOME WITH A WOUND OR IS BEHAVING AS IF IT WERE JUST IN A FIGHT:

Do not handle it without gloves for at least four (4) hours -- avoid contact with any saliva that may be present on your pet's body. Report the wound to the Health Department and call your veterinarian. 

REMEMBER: All dogs in Mountainside Borough must be licensed and must be confined to the Owner's property. Dogs running at large will be removed by the Dog Warden and the owner summonsed. All dog owners must clean up after their dogs. 
 

Bats Advisory

 

Report any possible contact with a bat to the Health Department (or the Police during off hours), and your physician immediately. Be careful not to damage the head of the bat, if possible, without touching the bat, or endangering yourself (and wearing gloves). Try to contain the bat in a closed room, a coffee can, etc. (especially if there has been contact with the bat). This is most easily accomplished if the bat is allowed to land. It may be dangerous to attempt to capture a bat while it is in flight. 
 

Phone Numbers

 

Health Department

(908) 789-4070

 

Associated Humane Societies

 (973) 824-7505

 

Welfare and General Assistance

 

Lillian W. Corsi, Director of the Department of Human Services