By MATT PIKE
St. Joseph Post
Lab research has confirmed a bat spotted in St. Joseph that bit a woman and her dog tested positive for rabies.
Humane Educator Aubrey Silvey says the woman spotted the bat outside her home and then was bitten.
"So, protocol for that is once the animal is located, if it can be located, it's sent off to the state lab for testing right away to check for rabies," Silvey tells KFEQ/St. Joseph Post. "And in this case, it was confirmed that the bat did in fact have the rabies virus."
Silvey says the dog was also bitten, but was vaccinated and will be monitored during a quarantine period.
Silvey reminds people and pet owners alike how seriously they should treat bites by a wild animal or unfamiliar animal. Silvey says if you spot a wild animal, or even another pet that is unfamiliar, you should be very careful about interacting with it.
"We encourage people, especially with wildlife, but even domesticated animals like cats or dogs that you don't know like stray animals, don't go touch them or try to move them on your own," Silvey says. "Especially if it's a wild animal out in the middle of the day that's acting different then it would normally act, you don't want to approach it you would want to call animal control and let us deal with it."
Silvey says, while this is a tragic event, it serves as a reminder for people to be aware of rabies, because people just don't think about it very often.
"Especially in this area, but people need to know 59,000 people a year do die from rabies in the world and, like I said, there's no cure for it so if you get bitten by an animal and you don't go get those vaccinations and that animal had rabies, 100% you can't survive," Silvey explains. "So, it is something that people need to think about, and be conscious of and take seriously."
If you are bitten by a wild animal or even an unfamiliar pet, it's important to seek medical attention immediately Silvey says.