Minnesota is seeing more bats. And Minneapolis Animal Care and Control say they've already received numerous calls about bats getting into people's homes and the number of those calls is on the way up.
This can be a major problem since bats do carry rabies, and Minneapolis Animal Care and Control is encouraging people to get their pets vaccinated. Rabies is 100 percent fatal if pets are not protected.
MACC's Tony Schendel explains what needs to happen if an animal is exposed.
"If an animal is exposed, we need to get that animal boostered, the rabies vaccination booster," he says. "Even if it's current within 72 hours, post exposure to help boost the immunity of that animal so that it doesn't impact things negatively, like, in some cases, where the Minnesota Board of Animal Health helps steps in and guide our actions."
Schendel says it could lead to euthanasia. He says dogs, cats, and ferrets are required by law to be licensed with the city for this purpose.
"One of the points and purposes of that license is to ensure rabies vaccination status, and so that it's on record here with the city, particularly in animal care and control," Schendel explains. "So that if and when primarily dogs and cats in these cases, is exposed to a bat or any rabies vector, that it really is protecting them and their owners."
The Minnesota Department of Health considers July through mid-September to be the busiest time of year for bat and human interactions, when bats seek shelter in warmer places like homes. MACC says it has received several reports of bats in homes every day, some of which are testing positive for rabies.
MACC says they will be offering low-cost vaccine appointments on-site within the next few months. In the meantime, there are several clinics in the city and Twin Cities metro that can help:
Creekview Recreation Center - Walk-up appointments are welcome at 5001 Humboldt Ave. N., Minneapolis, from 9 a.m. to noon, or as time allows, on the third Sunday of each month.
VeTouch – Appointments only are available on the first Sunday of each month at 2501 Minnehaha Ave., Minneapolis. To schedule an appointment, email vetouch@umn.edu.
The Minnesota Department of Natural Resources also has a tip page on getting bats out of your home.
Despite potentially carrying rabies, bats are one of the most misunderstood yet crucial animals in Minnesota. Bats play an essential role in pest control, pollinating plants and dispersing seeds.