BATS

JULY 6, 2017 THE CITY OF PAMPA ANIMAL SERVICES DEPARTMENT REMINDS CITIZENS TO NOT TOUCH OR TO HANDLE BATS THAT ARE MIGRATING THROUGH THE AREA.  AT 11 PM JUNE 24 A BAT THAT WAS FOUND ON THE GROUND AT A PAMPA LOCATION TESTED POSITIVE FOR RABIES.  THOSE RESULTS CAME BACK JULY 3.  THERE WERE NO HUMANS EXPOSED BUT FOUR CATS WHICH WERE SURROUNDING THE BAT WHEN IT WAS COLLECTED MAY HAVE BEEN EXPOSED.  ANIMAL SERVICES HAVE IMPLEMENTED RABIES EXPOSURE OF AN ANIMAL PROTOCOL SET BY THE DEPARTMENT OF STATE HEALTH SERVICES AND ARE MONITORING THE CATS.  RABIES CONTROL AUTHORITY MONTY MONTGOMERY WITH PAMPA ANIMAL SERVICES SAYS THAT BATS ARE SEEN THIS TIME OF YEAR MIGRATING THROUGH AND THAT IN MOST CASES THEY ARE MOST LIKELY HEALTHY AND POSE NO RISK.  BUT HE SAYS THAT DOES NOT MEAN THEY MAY BE TOUCHED OR HANDLED.  BATS THAT ARE FOUND IN HOUSES ESPECIALLY WITH THE ELDERLY OR YOUNG CHILDREN SHOULD BE COLLECTED AND RESIDENTS ARE ENCOURAGED TO CONTACT PAMPA ANIMAL SERVICES SO THEY MAY TEST FOUND BATS FOR RABIES.  MONGTOMERY SAYS IT IS IMPORTANT TO TEST BECAUSE THERE ARE OCCASIONS WHEN PEOPLE ARE UNAWARE THEY HAVE BEEN BITTEN.  WHEN BATS ARE FOUND ON THE GROUND IN MOST CASES THEY ARE BELIEVED TO BE SICK AND WILL BE TESTED.  HE SAYS ANY QUESTIONS OR CONCERNS SHOULD BE ADDRESSED BY PHONING PAMPA ANIMAL SERVICES AT 806-669-5775.