It's that time of year and the City of Amarillo wants to remind you about the high risk of rabies in the area.  This is the time of year when wild animals are making their way back to their summer homes.

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Yes, I said summer home, apparently certain wild animals migrate to warmer temperatures in the winter and return in the summer.

Mainly bats.  We seem to have a high bat population in Amarillo and the surrounding areas.  However I haven't seen a bat in this area.  Am I just missing out?

It's not only bats, there are many disease carrying animals in the area, including foxes, coyotes, skunks, and raccoons.

So how do you avoid these animals and in turn avoid rabies?

  • Do not touch, feed, or unintentionally attract wild animals with open garbage cans or litter.
  • Teach children never to handle unfamiliar animals, wild or domestic, even if they appear friendly.
  • Maintain homes and other buildings so bats cannot get inside.
  • Call AAM&W about removing stray animals in your neighborhood – never adopt wild animals, bring them into your home, or try to nurse sick ones to health.
  • Bats that are on the ground which are unable to fly or that are active during the day are more likely than others to be rabid – such bats are often easily approached but should never be handled.
  • If you find yourself in close proximity to a bat, dead or alive, do not touch, hit, or destroy it and do not try to remove it from your home – instead call your AAM&W or your sheriff’s office as it may be possible to test the bat and avoid the need to receive rabies treatment.
  • Call AAM&W through the 911 dispatch system to report a bat in your home or a dead bat on your property.
  • If you wake to a bat in the room you may need to be treated, if the bat cannot be tested

 

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