APPLE VALLEY, California – Nine confirmed rabid bats have been confirmed in San Bernardino County, including four in the past two weeks in Rancho Cucamonga, Fontana and Apple Valley. San Bernardino County Public Health urges the public to protect themselves and their pets from interactions with unknown, lost or wild animals.
“Rabies is almost always fatal in humans once symptoms begin,” said Dr. Erin Gustafson, County Provisional Health Officer. “It is important to seek medical attention as soon as possible for any animal bites or possible exposure to rabies.”
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), the most common wild reservoirs for rabies are raccoons, skunks, bats, and foxes. Domestic mammals can also contract rabies. Cats, livestock, and dogs are the most frequently reported rabid pets in the United States. Rabies among pets is rare with animal vaccination programs.
Avoid exposure to rabies by following these tips:
- Do not touch, feed, harass, or shelter unknown pets, wild or stray animals.
- Vaccinate pets against rabies. Dogs should be vaccinated against rabies at four months of age. Cats can be vaccinated between twelve and sixteen weeks of age. The first rabies vaccine is effective for one year. After that initial injection, pets should be re-vaccinated every three years.
- Have pets spayed or neutered.
- Do not allow pets to roam freely.
- Keep trash cans tightly covered and avoid storing food outside.
- Batproof, seal small openings and keep unprotected doors and windows closed.
- Teach children to never approach an unknown animal and to tell an adult immediately if an animal bites or scratches it.
- Seek immediate medical attention if you are exposed or bitten by an animal.
- Report any bite or scratch from a pet or wild animal to the animal control agency in the area where the bite / scratch occurred.
- Report dead bats immediately to the animal control agency the animal is located in.
- Do NO try to touch or enclose stray or wild animals.
San Bernardino County Animal Care and Control (ACC) provides services in all unincorporated areas of the county, except for the unincorporated communities of the West End, as well as the cities of Big Bear Lake, Highland, and Yucaipa. Residents living outside of ACC service areas can refer to the list of other animal control agencies that provide services in the county.
For more information, contact San Bernardino County Animal Care and Control Services at 1-800-472-5609.
