SPRINGVILLE, Utah (ABC 4 News) – In what sounds like a scary Halloween story, a Springville man was bitten by a bat this past Sunday afternoon. The man was working in his garden when he felt something bite his finger. When he pulled his hand up out of the grass, a small bat was biting him. The bat was easily captured and was sent to the State lab for testing. Unfortunately the bat tested positive for rabies, and so the victim will need treatment. According to Animal Control Officer Jim Barker, this is not the “normal” season for bats in Springville. Barker said, “This is the second call in the past couple of weeks about sick bats here in town, and I have heard there was at least one other case in Utah valley.”
Bats are normally nocturnal, and they very rarely will be found on the ground. Bats that are on the ground are probably very sick. Citizens are advised not to touch or try to pick up the bat. Parents should talk to their children about the danger of touching or picking up strange animals, especially bats. If you or your child comes into contact with a bat, or are bitten or scratched by a bat, or if your pet picks up a bat, call your local Police or Sheriff Department and report the incident to the Animal Control Officer.
Pet owners should take these calls as a warning to make sure their pets are currently vaccinated. Domesticated dogs and cats will often try to catch and pick up sick bats. Doing so is extremely dangerous for these pets. If your dog or cat catches a bat, it will be exposed to whatever sickness the bat is carrying. You should notify Animal Control immediately. The local Animal Control officer can tell you if a pet will need to be quarantined and what other steps you should take. If your animal’s vaccinations are not current, it must be properly quarantined.
