Removing a bat from the living space of a structure
Purpose
To set procedure for Technicians when removing a bat from the living space of a structure.
Safety and Health
Bats are the leading cause of rabies deaths in the United States. Rabies is nearly 100% fatal and can be spread to people after minor, seemingly unimportant bites, or scratches.
If anyone has potentially been exposed or come in contact with the bat, then the bat should be captured without head injury, and the local health department needs to be contacted immediately.
Always wear gloves when handling wildlife. A single scratch or bite can result in disease transmission.
Materials and Equipment
- leather gloves
- net
- flashlight
- boot covers
- marked container
- long pole to increase your reach.
Procedure
- Meet with the client and gather all the information you can. Ask about where the bat has been seen and who was possibly exposed to the bat.
- Find out if there was someone sleeping in the room, or if there was a person who is unable to communicate (child or developmentally disabled person for example) who could have been exposed. If any possibility of exposure exists, see step 6.
- Go to the room where the bat is located. Close any doors that lead into that room so that the bat is contained. Typically, the bat will be in a dark area or up high near the ceiling.
- Using your gloves and the net, capture the bat taking special precautions not to harm it (bats are protected.) You may have to use the pole if the bat is out of reach.
- Release it outside carefully on a tree or bush.
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If there is a possibility of someone being exposed, bitten, or scratched by the bat, then it will need to be tested for rabies. The bat must be given back to the client for testing. Place the bat in a clearly marked, sealed container and tape it shut. Advise the client to contact the local health department immediately.
Bats are the leading cause of rabies deaths in the United States. Rabies is nearly 100% fatal and can be spread to people after minor, seemingly unimportant bites, or scratches.
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