Rabies Prevention

• Vaccinate pets.
• Do not pet unfamiliar animals (e.g., someone else’s pet or a stray).
• Do not stick your arm into a strangers’ car window to pet their animal.
• Protect yourself against rabies when travelling. Travellers should not pick up, pet, feed, or handle unfamiliar animals. See your health care provider if you are bitten or scratched by an unfamiliar animal.
• Keep pets indoors at night.
• Teach children to stay away from wild or stray animals.
• Avoid feeding or handling wild animals. When you are bitten by a wild animal, the animal will need to be euthanized and set for rabies testing to ensure it was not infectious with the rabies virus. If the animal is not available for testing, you will be referred to your health care provider to discuss the rabies vaccine.
  • Wildlife Feeding: dos and don’ts
• Do not keep wild animals as pets. It is generally not allowed in Ontario. There are laws in Ontario concerning wild animals in captivity.
• Do not touch dead or sick animals.
  • What to do if you find a sick, injured, or abandoned wild animal.
• Call your local health unit or doctor, and go to the hospital if you or a family member have been in contact with a rabid animal.
• Prevent bats from entering your house

How to get a bat out of your home?

• Warn all household members, especially children, to stay away from bats and to report any contact with them.
• Leave the bat alone and create a way out through an open window.
• If the bat is in the attic, create a disturbance (E.g., bright light, loud music), encouraging it to leave. Keep the disturbance in place until the bat(s) leaves and you can seal all openings where they could have entered.
• If these measures are not successful, or you require further support, call a pest control expert.
• If you absolutely must handle a bat, wear thick gloves and other protective clothing.
• If the bat has come into direct contact with a person, contact Grey Bruce Public Health and keep the bat for testing.
• If you find a dead bat with no known human/animal exposure, handle it with thick gloves. You may contact the Canadian Wildlife Health Co-operative (Animal Exposures).

How to keep bats out of your home or cottage?

• Seal any openings where bats can get in (E.g., chimneys, corners, pipes etc.). Vents can be protected with a fine screen. Larger openings can be sealed with high-quality caulk, a sheet of metal, or a window screen.
• These preventive measures should be taken from October to March, when bats are hibernating elsewhere or after you’re sure no bats are roosting in the house.

How to protect your domestic animals?

• Update/obtain rabies vaccine for your pets at your veterinary clinic. To maintain adequate protection, pets require regular vaccination.
• If your pet comes into contact with a bat, please contact your veterinarian.

Resources:

Bats - Canada.ca

Prevent conflicts with bats | ontario.ca