How to protect yourself from bats & prevent diseases like rabies

May 8, 2023

As you explore the great outdoors this spring and summer, there's a chance you'll encounter a bat. Bats are an important part of our ecosystem but they can carry diseases that can be transmitted to humans.

In B.C., between four and eight per cent of bats that come into contact with people test positive for the rabies virus. In 2021, 132 people in the region were treated for potential exposure to rabies.

In this Story…

Protecting yourself from contact with bats

Steps to take if you suspect a bite or scratch from a bat

Protecting yourself from contact with bats

Do not touch live or dead bats; talk to your children about not touching bats lying on the ground as these creatures may be potentially sick.
Make your residence “bat proof.” Keep doors and windows closed, make sure window screens don’t have any holes and keep attic vents properly screened and openings closed.
If you find a live bat in a room of your home, open the window and close interior doors until the bat leaves.
Seek professional bat-control advice (from a pest control or wildlife specialist) if your home is inhabited by bats.
Avoid locations where bats are likely to be found (e.g. caves).
Vaccinate your pets against rabies.

Steps to take if you suspect a bite or scratch from a bat

Thoroughly wash any bite or scratch wounds with soap and water.
Contact your local public health unit or primary care provider immediately, or go to the emergency department. Treatment, which involves a two-week long period of vaccinations, should be administered as soon as possible after exposure. Without treatment, rabies is almost always fatal.
Although it's less frequent, other mammals can also carry rabies. Please consult with your health provider or emergency department if you had a close encounter with a potentially rabid animal.
If possible, safely contain the bat to prevent others from being exposed. Keep the bat in a safe location until a trained public health official can arrange to pick it up and test it for rabies.