Community Corner

Rabid Bat Found in Forsyth County Backyard

This is the first case of rabies in Forsyth County this year.

A rabid bat was discovered recently in the backyard of an east Forsyth County home located on Riverhaven Drive, according to the Forsyth County Health Department.

The homeowner's two dogs discovered the bat that was alive on March 10.

"She noticed that the bat was on the ground and her dogs were barking at it," said Ed Carter, the county's environmental health manager.

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The homeowner did capture the animal and placed it in a container.

Carter said the bat was picked up the next day, euthanized, and sent to the Georgia Public Health Laboratory in Decatur, which confirmed a positive case of rabies.

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The bat did not bite the homeowner, but Carter said it was not known if it had bitten the dogs.

"The two dogs involved were vaccinated," he said. "So they did a booster [shot] and we advised them to watch the dogs for 45 days."

Carter said cases of rabies usually picks up in the spring and summer and offers this advice.

"Make sure your pets are vaccinated, dogs and cats," he said. "Avoid contact with any wild animal especially with a fox, skunk, raccoon and bats."

Carter said if you see a wild animal during the day like a raccoon or fox, it doesn't mean it has rabies, but it may be ill or starving to death.

"We just have so many people that will approach a wild animal and you don't want to pick it up or offer it assistance like that or feed one especially," said Carter.

The last local rabies case involved a fox that bit a man and two dogs in north Forsyth County last October.

If you suspect an animal of being rabid, contact the Animal Control Unit at 770-781-2138 or call 911 immediately.

You might also be interested in reading:

Rabid Raccoon Bites North Forsyth Man

Rabid Fox Bites North Forsyth Man


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