A B.C. vet warns of more bat encounters after a rabies-positive bat was found in Whistler. Pet owners are urged to keep rabies shots up to date.
Rabies-positive bat sparks warning
A B.C. veterinarian is urging pet owners to stay alert after a bat in the Sea to Sky region tested positive for rabies.
The bat had direct contact with a person. Health officials sent it for testing in July. The Canadian Food Inspection Agency later confirmed the positive result.
Jordie Schnarr, managing veterinarian at Coast Mountain Veterinary Services in Whistler, says bat encounters have also jumped this year.
More pets are coming in
Schnarr says her clinic has seen a clear rise in cases involving bats and pets.
So far this year, 25 people have brought pets to the clinic after bat encounters. Last year, the clinic saw fewer than five such cases.
Schnarr says she does not know what happened to the person who had contact with the rabid bat. Vancouver Coastal Health did not immediately say whether the person became infected.
Health officials also advised Schnarr to get two rabies booster shots. She had already received several rabies vaccines.
Another rabid bat found on Vancouver Island
The Whistler case is not the only recent warning.
Coastland Veterinary Hospital in Campbell River said a bat found in the area tested positive for rabies on July 24.
However, public health officials say rabies remains rare in B.C. They also note that bats play an important role in the ecosystem, and a small number naturally carry the virus.
Human risk remains low
The last known human rabies case in B.C. happened in 2019. A Vancouver Island man died after contracting the disease.
The BC Centre for Disease Control says the risk of rabies remains low. Less than 0.5 per cent of bats in the province carry rabies.
Still, rabies is almost always fatal once symptoms begin. Therefore, any possible exposure should be taken seriously.
Pet owners urged to keep shots current
The BC Community Bat Program says people may see more bats at this time of year. Bats are more active and move around more during the summer.
The group advises residents to leave bats alone and avoid touching them.
Meanwhile, Schnarr says the recent rise in bat encounters is a good reminder for pet owners.
Keeping dogs and cats up to date on their rabies vaccines can help protect them after an unexpected encounter.
For pet owners, the message is simple: give bats space, and make sure your pet’s rabies vaccine is current.
