Three people bitten by a puppy with rabies in a quarantine kennels are showing no ill-effects, the Health Protection Agency (HPA) said.

They include a social worker who runs the pets charity Animal SOS Sri Lanka, in Palmers Green, northwest London, which brings street dogs from Sri Lanka to Britain. Kim Cooling said she had been nipped on the chin, wrist and face on Wednesday, two days before the dog died. But she had since been vaccinated and given a booster and was well. The dog was being held at quarantine kennels in Chingford, northeast London. It arrived as one of a batch of five puppies from Sri Lanka just over a week ago. Two members of staff at the kennels were also nipped.

An HPA spokeswoman said: “I understand that three individuals who were bitten by the animal in the quarantine centre have received protective treatment and are well.”

Tests on the dead dog confirmed that it had rabies. The other four puppies – all about eight weeks old – have been put down and the results of tests are being awaited.

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