CLEARFIELD -- A dog that came into contact with a rabid bat here last week is in quarantine and is likely to be released after 45 days because it was properly vaccinated.
Ailien Lewis, shelter manager for Davis County Animal Control and Care, said the dog was found by its owner with a live bat on April 21"The owner did the right thing -- she called us," Lewis said. "She also didn't handle the bat."
Lewis said the bat tested positive for rabies and was destroyed, but the dog probably will be OK because it had a proper rabies vaccination, so the quarantine is simply an additional precaution.
It wasn't clear if the dog had been bitten by the bat, though it had come into contact with the infected animal by having it inside its mouth.
Lewis said bats, which are usually nocturnal, are nothing to fear at night, even if they are in barns or trees. It's the sick bats that are out in the daytime that are dangerous.
"Bats do a lot of good because they help control insects and rodents," she said. "The most important thing is to vaccinate your animals."
Lewis said anyone who finds a bat that's out in the daytime or acting ill should immediately contact their local animal control office. Even on weekends, animal control officers will respond in emergencies. Bats need to be saved for testing, but should not be handled.
Puppies need to be vaccinated for rabies at 4 months and again at 1 year. After that, every other year is sufficient.
This is the first incident of a rabid bat in Davis County this year.