MEDIA RELEASE: What to Do if You Find a Bat in Your Home

Last Updated: 5/24/2024

What to Do if You Find a Bat in Your Home

Tioga County Public Health Department reminds residents what to do if a bat is found in their home.

Tioga County Public Health has seen an increase in both bat bites and bats testing positive for rabies virus. “This time of year, we start to see an increase in bat activity, making it important to know what steps to take to protect yourself and your family should you find a bat in your home,” says Dan Scherrer, Director of Environmental Health.

Bats can have and transmit rabies! If you find a bat in your home, it is important to act immediately. The risk of rabies transmission becomes a concern if you know you have been bitten, or if you’re unsure if you have been bitten (ex: a bat is found in a room with a sleeping person, an unattended child, or a mentally compromised person).

While you may be tempted to chase the bat out of your home, it’s important that the bat is captured, and you notify Tioga County Public Health for further instructions. Do not release or dispose of the bat. If the bat is thrown away, destroyed, or released, there is no way of knowing if your family was exposed to rabies. If rabies exposure cannot be ruled out, household members will need to receive post-exposure prophylaxis.

How to Safely Catch a Bat:

• Close all windows and doors, turn on all the lights and wait for the bat to land.
• While wearing heavy gloves, use a hard container with a lid such as a plastic food storage container, to trap the bat.
• Call Tioga County Public Health at 607-687-8600.
• Do not bring the bat to the health department.

If you or someone you know comes in contact with any animal believed to have rabies, get as much information as you can and if possible, take a picture of it. To report an animal bite, visit our website at ph.tiogacountyny.gov or call 607-687-8600. On holidays, weekends, or after-hours, please call the Tioga County Sheriff's Office (607-687-1010).