Okay, this is an important question, let me break it down clearly to make sure you understand.

Is Eating Meat (Raw or Cooked) from an Animal with Rabies Infectious?

Straight to the point, here's the quick answer:

Theoretically, there is risk, especially with raw meat. However, in real life, the biggest danger isn't actually eating the meat at all, but the handling process. Therefore, the safest course of action is: Absolutely DO NOT eat it!

Now, let me explain in detail why this is the conclusion.

First, let's understand how the rabies virus works

The rabies virus is nerve-obsessed. Its favorite places are the animal's brain, spinal cord, and salivary glands. The amount found in muscle (the "meat" we eat) is extremely low, almost negligible.

Its mode of infection is also very "particular." You can't get infected just by swallowing it. It needs to enter your body through broken skin or mucous membranes (like if you have mouth ulcers, bleeding gums, or contact with your eyes or nose). Only then can it travel along your nerves to your brain and wreak havoc.

Keeping these two points in mind, let's look at eating the meat.

Risk from Eating Cooked Meat

This is what concerns people the most. The good news is, the rabies virus is extremely sensitive to heat.

Temperatures from normal cooking – like boiling water (100°C or 212°F), deep-frying, or high-heat stir-frying – can completely kill the virus within minutes.

Therefore, if a piece of meat from a rabid dog is thoroughly and completely cooked (emphasis on thoroughly – meaning it's not rare or bloody in the center), the virus is destroyed, and eating it is safe.

BUT! There's a huge "BUT" coming up below.

Risk from Eating Raw Meat

This is more dangerous. While we said the virus level in muscle is low, it's not zero. Furthermore, during slaughter and butchering, knives, cutting boards, and surfaces can easily get contaminated with virus from the brain or saliva, which then cross-contaminates the muscle meat.

If you eat this contaminated raw meat and happen to have wounds in your mouth, esophagus, or stomach (like mouth ulcers or gastric ulcers), the virus could potentially enter your body through these openings.

Although documented cases of infection via this route are extremely rare globally, the theoretical risk definitely exists. Nobody wants to be that "one in a million" case.

The Real Big Danger: Risks During Handling Far Exceed Eating Risks

Alright, now for the most critical part. Why do all health organizations strongly advise against eating it?

Because before you cook the meat and serve it, there's an extremely dangerous step: slaughtering and handling.

Imagine:

During Slaughter: You could be bitten or scratched by the already rabid animal – the most direct and dangerous infection route.
During Handling: While cutting the meat, if you have hangnails, small cuts, or sores on your hands, it's easy to come into contact with the virus in tissues, especially nerve tissue.
During Butchering: Sharp knives might cut your hand, and that knife has likely just cut into virus-rich parts like the head or spine.
During Cleaning: While handling organs like intestines or the head, virus-laden fluids can splash into your eyes or mouth.

Every single one of these risks is thousands to tens of thousands of times greater than the risk from eating properly cooked meat. By the time you safely cook the meat, the virus might already have had an opportunity to enter your body during handling.

To summarize, here are the key takeaways

Eating thoroughly cooked meat: Is theoretically safe because heat kills the virus. But, you can't guarantee the person who handled the raw meat wasn't already exposed and infected during that process.
Eating raw or undercooked meat: Carries an infection risk. While the probability is minuscule, the risk is real.
The greatest danger: Isn't eating, but the entire process of slaughtering, cutting, and cleaning the diseased animal. The risk of exposure during handling is extremely high.
The ultimate advice: DO NOT consume meat from any animals that are of unknown origin, exhibiting abnormal behavior, or confirmed to have rabies – in ANY form! Whether it's a dog, cat, or any other wild animal.

Remember: Rabies has a 100% fatality rate once symptoms appear. There are no effective treatments or cures. Taking such a catastrophic risk just for a piece of meat is absolutely not worth it. If you see an animal acting abnormally, stay away and report it to the relevant authorities – that's the safest choice.