Drop the bat. Better yet, don’t pick it up to begin with
It may be a natural impulse to assist an injured eagle or squirrel. When it comes to bats, restrain yourself.
That’s the message from University of Washington health experts after a Seattle woman was seen picking up a bat earlier this month that later tested positive for rabies.
First, let’s be clear: Bats are good. They are good for the environment and good for us. The amount of mosquitoes a bat eats nightly would make any pest controller proud. They also pollinate plants and eat insects that want to eat the plants we depend on.
Bats’ unique combination of traits (flying mammal, day sleeper, cave dweller, echolocation and others) makes them fascinating for some and creepy for others.
Wherever you fall in the bat fan club, the message is clear: Hands off.
“They should never be touched, under any circumstances, by anyone,” said Paul Pottinger, a UW doctor and professor of allergies and infectious diseases.
It doesn’t matter if the bat looks healthy, sick or dead. Consider it off-limits, he said.
So, what happens if your rambunctious kid brings one home as a pet?
Call a medical professional immediately, Pottinger said.
Rabies is a serious disease that is almost always fatal if let untreated. It is, however, very treatable if medical intervention happens quickly, he said.
During the day, bats like to crawl into narrow spaces, preferably somewhere it gets hot. Houses, barns and other buildings are often perfect bat habitat.
That’s usually not a problem until a bat finds its way into someone’s living quarters.
In 1997, Washington Gov. Gary Locke and his family received rabies shots after bats made their way in to the Governor’s Mansion in Olympia. Eventually, the first family moved out while the structure was made bat-proof.
This story was originally published August 1, 2020 at 8:00 AM.
