The Ewing Township Health Department is warning residents to be cautious of wild animals that may carry rabies—especially as bats become more active this season.
A bat recently tested positive for rabies after being found inside a home. Residents are urged to take preventive measures and report any contact with bats to the health department immediately.
Bats often roost in dark, undisturbed areas, such as attics and wall spaces in homes. The entry points are often near the roof edge, such as under the eaves, soffits or loose boards, openings in the roof or vents, or crevices around the chimney. Bats may roost behind shutters or under boards without entering the home.
Sometimes the only evidence of the presence of bats in a building will be an accumulation of droppings in one area of the attic, or droppings and rub marks on siding at the bat entry opening. While the objective is to seal off all the actual and potential bat entry points, care must be taken to follow the correct procedures to avoid blocking the bats inside the roost.
If anyone is bitten or scratched—or if the possibility of contact cannot be excluded—try to confine or kill the bat without damage to its head, to prevent additional exposures. Immediately cleanse the wound thoroughly with soap and water and seek prompt medical attention from a physician or hospital emergency room. Report the bite or other exposure to Ewing health department as soon as possible at 609-883-2900 ext. 7621 or 7622.
Using heavy protective gloves, tongs, or a shovel, place the bat in a coffee can or other securely covered container and arrange with your local health department for delivery and testing at the state Department of Health Rabies Laboratory. If your dog or cat is exposed to a bat, follow similar procedures in capturing the bat and contacting your local health department to report the incident and arrange for the testing of the bat. The greatest preventive measure is to have your dog or cat vaccinated against rabies before any exposure to a rabid animal.
Note that bats play a crucial role in maintaining healthy ecosystems and are highly beneficial to the environment. They are natural pest controllers, consuming vast quantities of insects, including mosquitoes and agricultural pests, which helps reduce the need for chemical pesticides.
Additionally, many bat species are pollinators and seed dispersers. They aid in pollinating flowers and dispersing seeds, particularly in tropical and desert ecosystems, thereby promoting plant diversity and forest regeneration. Bats contribute to nutrient cycling through their guano, which is a rich natural fertilizer, enhancing soil health. Their ecological contributions underscore the importance of conserving bat populations and their habitats, and bats that appear healthy are not a threat and should not be unnecessarily harmed.
For more information, go to www.ewingnj.org.
