WATERTOWN, New York (WWNY) – Have you had a bat in your home this summer? Jefferson County Public Health officials said there have been more calls than usual on the issue.
Officials said bats will often roost in an attic or chimney, then can’t find their way out, so they end up in the home.
Officials said statewide, only three or four-percent of bats have rabies, but it’s concerning to have them in the home. Especially with pets.
If an unvaccinated pet is exposed to a rabid animal, it means either sixth months of strict quarantining, including expensive vet treatments, or a fatality.
To avoid this, public health experts say make sure your animals are vaccinated, and deal with the bat safely and calmly.
“We request that if possible, isolate the bat,” said Jeff Leiendecker, Jefferson County Public Health Emergency Preparedness Coordinator. “If they’re not comfortable interacting with the bat to capture it in a container safely, at least isolate it in a single room with a towel under the door. Call our office have a chat with our staff. Not every incident of a bat in the home warrant testing the bat or post exposure treatment for people.”
You can find a list of available rabies vaccination clinics, and a video tutorial on capturing bats in the home on Jefferson County Public Health’s website.
Copyright 2021 WWNY. All rights reserved.
