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For Immediate Release
Friday, August 6, 2004
Contact: Joe Malinowski,
303-441-1197
Several Bats Test Positive for Rabies
Boulder County Public Health (BCPH) warns residents not to
handle bats, after several of the mammals tested positive for rabies this
summer. In Colorado, bats have been the primary rabies host for the past
20 years. The percentage of bats testing positive for rabies each year has
averaged 15%. It is important to note that this percentage is not
representative of all bats since it reflects only bats found by people and
submitted for testing.
The most common way people are exposed to bats is by
picking them off the ground, trying to remove a bat from their house, or
taking a bat from a family pet. Three of the bats confirmed positive for
rabies had exposure to pets, and because the pets were unvaccinated for
rabies, they were required to either be euthanised or held in an approved
quarantine site for six months, which could be at a cost of over $1,000.
With proper rabies vaccination, costing as little as $20, exposed pets can
avoid the required euthanasia or quarantine.
The best way to prevent being exposed to rabies is to
avoid picking up or handling bats – or any other wild animals for that
matter, and to keep your pets currently vaccinated. Keeping your pets
vaccinated protects them from exposure to rabies, including exposures you
may not be aware of, such as a cat catching and eating a bat.
Because bats are active mostly at night, seeing one during
the day is a good indication something is wrong. Bats hide in trees,
caves, and attics, or under rocks, roofs, and siding. If you see one in
the house or on the ground, please be cautious. A good rule of thumb is
anytime you see a bat acting abnormally, there is a strong possibility it
is sick. Finding a bat hanging under the eaves of a house, under a porch
overhang, hidden behind shutters or gutters or in a tree is normal.
If a normal acting or resting bat is found outdoors, it
should be left alone. If a bat is found inside a house, the following
actions should be taken:
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If it is absolutely certain no pets or people were
bitten or had possible contact with the bat, confine the bat to a room
and open an outside window or door to let it escape.
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If there is any possibility that a person or pet may have
had contact with the bat, such as waking up to find a bat in the room or
finding a small child or pet alone with a bat, the bat should be safely
captured for testing. Wait until the bat lands, place a coffee can or box
over it, slide a piece of cardboard underneath it, and tape it down
securely. Bats can escape through very small openings.
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If a person or pet has been bitten or has had contact with
the bat, or an abnormal acting or obviously injured bat is encountered, the
local animal control agency or health department should be contacted to
arrange for testing of the bat. Boulder County Public Health can be reached
at 303-441-1564. Also, if someone has been bitten or believes a bat has
bitten him, that individual should contact his physician.
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