Sick bat found in SW Bend tests positive for rabies; Deschutes Co. Health officials urge steps to protect families, pets

BEND, Ore. (KTVZ) -- A sick bat found in southwest Bend last week has tested positive for rabies, Deschutes County Public Health said Tuesday as it encouraged residents to take necessary precautions to protect their families and pets from the viral disease.

Rabies is spread to humans and pets through a bite or scratch from an infected animal. While a post exposure vaccination is effective, the best way to avoid rabies is to take the following precautions:

• Avoid physical contact with bats – healthy, sick, alive, or dead.  Be sure to keep children and pets away from bats. 
• Do not hand feed or otherwise handle stray animals and wildlife.
• Vaccinate all dogs, cats and ferrets against rabies.  This protects them and provides an immune barrier between humans and wild animals.

Bats play a valuable role in our ecosystem, the agency said. While they do not all carry rabies, bats are the most commonly reported animal to have rabies in the U.S., so it is important to avoid any contact with them.

If you see a bat that is active during the day, is in an unusual location (like inside a home), or is flopping around on the ground and unable to fly, take children and pets to a safe location and call the Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife (ODFW) at (541) 388-6363 or contact a local Wildlife Control Operator.

To protect your pets, make sure their rabies vaccinations are up to date. Dogs, cats, and ferrets should be vaccinated against rabies when they are three to six months old. A booster shot is required one year after the initial vaccination, and then should be updated every three years.

Under Oregon law, dogs and cats that do not have current vaccinations and are suspected of exposure to rabies must be euthanized or placed under strict quarantine for four months.

If a person or pet does come in physical contact with a bat or is bitten by an animal, promptly report it to Deschutes County Animal Control at (541) 693-6911 or Deschutes County Environmental Health at (541) 317-3114.

For more information about rabies, please review resources from the Oregon Health Authority and the  Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.