news release DPH


**For Immediate Release:**

July 25, 2023

*Rabid Bats More Common During Summer and Fall*

*"Contracting Rabies is Almost Always Fatal and All Human or Pet Contact with Bats ""Should be Reported"*

The Los Angeles County Department of Public Health (Public Health) advises the public to never touch a bat with bare hands, and to report injured, sick, or dead bats. Summer and early-fall months are when rabid bats are most often found in Los Angeles County, especially during July, August, and September.

Healthy bats, which are good for the environment, typically hide and sleep during the day and emerge at dusk to fly and eat insects. Only about 1% of bats in nature have rabies, however, about 15% bats found near people and pets in LA County test positive for rabies. In 2022, 50 rabid bats were identified. So far this year, six rabid bats [ [link removed] ] have been found, including three in Santa Clarita and one each in Altadena, Glendale and Los Angeles (zip code 90027).

Bats with rabies are more likely to fly in daylight, appear on the ground, or be found resting for long periods in highly visible areas, such as on the side of a wall. Bats with rabies may be found alive or dead and you cannot confirm if a bat has rabies just by looking at it.

Rabies is a fatal disease to humans and pets, including dogs and cats, if preventative medical treatment is not given before symptoms appear. Rabies is transmitted by the bite, or scratch from a tooth of a rabid animal. Many of our local bats have very small teeth. Bites from bats can be too shallow and small to be easily detected and can heal over quickly. Bats found inside of a house with any access to people sleeping, children, or pets may have bitten a person or pet without waking them or leaving a visible bite wound. After an exposure to rabies, a person must get urgent treatment to prevent illness.

?

Follow these simple steps if you encounter a bat:


* Never touch a bat with bare hands.
* Know that bats are protected wildlife, that they are beneficial for our environment, and that it is illegal for the public to kill, harm, or keep them. However, any bat that may have exposed a person or pet to rabies needs to be tested.
* Do not release a bat outside if it was found indoors or if it was handled with bare hands ? cover it with a box and call animal control to request that it be tested for rabies. Any bat that may have bitten, or had contact with, a person or pet should be collected by animal control and tested by Public Health for rabies.
* If a bat is found outside that is sick, not moving, or dead, place a box or bucket over it. Then call the local animal control office to retrieve it for rabies testing.
* Seek rabies help quickly if you may have had an exposure. After a bat bite or bat encounter, call (213) 288-7060, or email [email protected] to discuss the risk of rabies exposure. Office hours are Monday ? Friday, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. ?To report bites in Pasadena, call the Pasadena Humane Society (626) 792-7151. For Long Beach call Long Beach Animal Control at (562) 570-7387 and for Vernon call its health department at (323) 583-8811.
* Keep pets safe from rabies by keeping them up to date with their rabies vaccination. Indoor-only cats and dogs should be vaccinated against rabies, as some rabid bats are found indoors almost every year in Los Angeles County.? Rabies vaccinations for pets are available at veterinary offices and low-cost veterinary programs throughout the county.
* Read and share our flyer on *What To Do If You Find A Bat*, available in English and Spanish: [link removed] [ [link removed] ]

For more information on bats and rabies visit: publichealth.lacounty.gov/vet/rabies.htm [ [link removed] ]


facebook [ [link removed] ]twitter [ [link removed] ]instagram [ [link removed] ]youtube [ [link removed] ]

The Department of Public Health is committed to promoting health equity and ensuring optimal health and well -being for all 10 million residents of Los Angeles County. Through a variety of programs, community partnerships and services, Public Health oversees environmental health, disease control, and community and family health. Nationally accredited by the Public Health Accreditation Board, the Los Angeles County Department of Public Health comprises of more than 5,000 employees and has an annual budget of $1.3 billion.

?

"Los Angeles County Department of Public Health works to protect health,?
prevent disease, and promote health and well-being."

?

SUBSCRIBER SERVICES:?Manage Subscriptions [ [link removed] ]??|??Help [ [link removed] ]

?

Bookmark and Share [ [link removed] ]







________________________________________________________________________

Update your subscriptions, modify your password or email address, or stop subscriptions at any time on your Subscriber Preferences Page [ [link removed] ]. You will need to use your email address to log in. If you have questions or problems with the subscription service, please visit subscriberhelp.govdelivery.com [ [link removed] ].

This service is provided to you at no charge by County of Los Angeles [ [link removed] ].



________________________________________________________________________

This email was sent using GovDelivery Communications Cloud to [email protected] on behalf of: County of Los Angeles, California ? 500 W. Temple St. ? Los Angeles 90012 ?

body .abe-column-block { min-height: 5px; } table.gd_combo_table img {margin-left:10px; margin-right:10px;} table.gd_combo_table div.govd_image_display img, table.gd_combo_table td.gd_combo_image_cell img {margin-left:0px; margin-right:0px;} table.govd_hr {min-width: 100%;}