REPORTINGBats
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Bats are beneficial and often misunderstood by people. They play a vital role in our environment in dispensing seeds, pollinating plants and eating insects. However, a certain percentage of bats in the five northern counties of Idaho carry the Rabies virus. Rabies is an extremely dangerous virus and nearly 100 percent fatal once symptoms start.
Never handle a bat with your bare hands. Parents should teach their children never to pick up a bat they find. If they find a bat, they should tell an adult so the bat can be disposed of properly. People and/or pets won't be able to catch most healthy bats. If a bat can be caught, there's a good chance that something is wrong with it.
About 5% to 10% of the bats that get tested for rabies are positive. It's best to leave bats alone and let them do what they do. If a person does get bitten by a bat or comes in contact with a bat, such as stepping on one with bare feet or waking up to find a bat in the room, that person should try to safely capture the bat. Bring the bat to the health district for testing for the rabies virus. Anyone who comes in contact with a bat should see a doctor.
If the bat tests positive for rabies, the person needs to get medical treatment immediately and start the vaccination series of shots against the rabies virus. The series includes five shots over 14 days.
If a person is bitten or exposed to a bat and the bat isn't available for testing, the person should consult with a doctor and the health district. It is almost always recommended that the person start the vaccination series of shots.
Luckily, bats are the only animal to test positive for rabies so far in northern Idaho. However, bats can transmit rabies to other animals as well as to people. It is very important for pet owners to vaccinate their pets against the rabies virus and keep the vaccination current. Some animals in northern Idaho have been infected by the bat strain of rabies.
People should make sure their homes are bat proof. All windows and openings to the home need to be screened. All roof tops should be inspected and all openings should be sealed so bats can't roost in the attic. Sealing should be done in late fall or winter when bats are at their wintertime roost and not in the attic.