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Bats, Animal Bites & Rabies
Rabies
Rabies is a viral disease that infects the central nervous system. If a person does not receive the appropriate medical care after a potential rabies exposure, infection with the virus is almost always fatal.
It is important you seek medical attention for all animal bites so that the medical provider can properly assess your risk of rabies exposure.
Learn more about rabies: Rabies FAQ
Prevent Rabies
To avoid possible exposure to rabies:
- Teach children not to touch live or dead bats and other wild animals
- Keep bats out of your home
- Vaccinate pet dogs, cats, and ferrets against rabies as required by Washington State law (WAC 246-100-197)
Never Touch Wild Animals
If you are bitten by an unfamiliar pet or a wild animal, immediately wash the area with soap and water and seek medical attention. Even if the bite seems minor, it’s crucial to seek professional medical care promptly.
Call GCHD at (509) 766-7960 to report the bite and to determine whether you might have been exposed to rabies and should receive treatment.
- Do not handle, feed, or unintentionally attract wild animals with open garbage cans, uncovered compost bins, or pet food left outside.
- Never adopt wild animals or bring them into your home. Call animal control, an animal rescue agency or wildlife rehabilitator for assistance with sick wild animals.
Bats
In Washington, bats are the only known mammal to carry rabies. Although less than 1% of wild bats are estimated to carry rabies, Washington still receives reports of rabid bats every year.
Humans and other mammals can be exposed to rabies through contact with rabid bats. Due to the severity of the disease, you must seek immediate medical attention if you have any contact with a bat. This includes situations where contact may be unknown, such as waking up to find a bat in your sleeping area.
If you are unsure about a bat exposure, call GCHD immediately at (509) 766-7960 or after hours at (509)-398-2083.
What To Do If You Find a Bat Outside
If you find a bat roosting outside your home, don’t touch it.
Generally, bats roost on the side of buildings only for short periods of time, using them as temporary roost sites on their way back to their primary roost site. A few things you should do if a bat is hanging around your home:
- Turn off any outside lights that may attract insects. This can encourage the bat to keep moving.
- Keep doors and windows the bat could enter through closed
- Keep pets and people away from where the bat is roosting
- Find more easy things you can do to help prevent a bat from getting into your home.
What To Do If You Find a Bat in Your Home
If you find a bat in your house, do not touch the bat with bare hands!
Follow these steps:
- Wear leather or thick rubber work gloves
- Wait until the bat has landed, then place an empty can, small box, or food storage dish over the bat. Slide cardboard under the container to contain the bat.
- Carefully replace the cardboard with the container’s lid to securely keep the bat contained, or tape the cardboard over the top.
- Punch small air holes in the lid of the container using a nail or small screwdriver
- Call GCHD to help determine if the bat needs to be tested for rabies.
For more detailed or situational instructions on how to safely capture a bat, click here.
What To Do If You Have Contact with A Bat
If you think you or your children or pets may have touched or had contact with a bat, take immediate action:
- Immediately wash the area that came into contact with the bat thoroughly with soap and water.
- Call GCHD to report the exposure and assess whether you might have been exposed to rabies and whether the bat should be tested for rabies
- Contact your medical provider as soon as possible to assess whether you or the exposed person may need a series of rabies vaccinations and immune globulin to prevent death.
Dogs, Cats, and Ferrets
Dogs, Cats, and Ferrets that have bitten a human must be observed for 10 days to watch for signs of rabies. If a dog, cat, or ferret becomes ill or dies within the 10-day observation, call GCHD immediately at (509)-766-7960 extension 0 or after hours at (509) 398-2083, rabies testing may be required. Dog bites should also be reported to the local animal control authority.