Archive: Around Town

The Tompkins County Health Department urges residents to avoid the risk of rabies and rabies treatment by capturing and submitting for laboratory testing any bat found in their home that may have come in contact with humans or pets. There have been no confirmed rabid bats in Tompkins County in 2016, however as the weather warms and bats become more active, the risk of encountering bats increases. Attics and crawl spaces heat up in the summer months and bats seek cooler locations on the lower floors of the home.

Rabies is largely transmitted through bites from rabid animals. Bats present an additional concern, because in certain situations a bite may not be readily apparent. This includes bats that are found in a room with a sleeping person or bats that are found in the presence of an unattended child or a person with a sensory impairment. Should a bat land on a person, it should be captured and submitted for testing. Bats that have contact with pets that are lapsed or unvaccinated against rabies also present a concern.

If the bat is found in a public area, if it is found near a pet, a child, a sleeping person, or someone with a sensory impairment, or you are not sure if contact occurred, capture the bat without touching it. If indoors, close windows, room and closet doors, turn on lights, and wait for the bat to land. While wearing heavy gloves, cover the bat with a pail, coffee can, or similar container.  If you spot a grounded bat outdoors, you can prevent further contact with people and pets by covering it with a pail or similar container.  Immediately call the Tompkins County Health Department at (607) 274-6688. If the bat is not captured, or tests positive for rabies, every person and pet that had a reasonable probability of exposure should receive rabies shots as soon as possible.

An 80-second video on the proper technique for safely capturing a bat found in one's home is available on the New York State Department of Health website.

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