Bat Sightings Boom, Raising Rabies Risk

Kristen Dosoito found a bat in her daughter’s room and let it go, which launched a series of unfortunate events for her, her family, and most importantly, her cat.

Because Dosoito’s cat is a primarily indoor cat, her rabies vaccinations were not up to date, and with the bat in question unavailable for testing, her pet now has to be quarantined at the East Providence Animal Control Center for six months. The total cost for the quarantine will approach $1,000.

A combination of the warm summer weather and young bats learning to fly have caused the number of bat sightings in Rhode Island to increase dramatically. Although the bats themselves are not particularly dangerous, they do pose a rabies risk for humans and animals that may come into contact with them.

Bats can find their way into houses through holes as small as a nickel, according to William Muggle, East Providence Animal Control supervisor. Muggle along with the Rhode Island Department of Health encourage everyone to take measures to bat-proof their homes.

“People can call pest control companies, put metal mesh over their chimneys … there’s the do-it-yourself method of checking that all easements and all holes are sealed off — whatever they need to do to stop the bat from getting in,” Muggle said.

When bats are found to have entered the home, it is recommended that individuals try to catch the bat so it can be tested for rabies. Rabies testing involves euthanasia and obtaining a sample of brain tissue for laboratory tests.

In some cases, however, the bat escapes or in Desoito’s case, is let go. If a bat is thought to have come into contact with humans in those instances, the people must undergo post-exposure rabies prophylaxis, which involves a series of medications.

Household pets fare the worst. If rabies vaccinations are up-to-date, the pets can be quarantined in-house; otherwise, the options are putting down the pet or facing the costs of quarantining at Animal Control, as in the Dosoito’s situation.

“This has been very, very inconvenient, and had I known, I never would have let that bat go,” Dosoito said. “But I had no idea until it was too late.”

Dosoito has words of advice for other pet owners.

“Keep your vets vaccinated even if they are indoor pets. You never know what can come into house,” she said. “And if you do have a bat, don't release it.”