A Renton couple took swift action after discovering a live bat inside their home, just days after a public health warning was issued about a rabid bat found nearby.
Rebecca Wilke and her husband, who have lived in the area for 60 years, encountered the bat while watching TV and initially debated what it could be.
They managed to trap the bat between a window and the screen in an unused room.
Rebecca safely captured the bat in a jar without touching it the next day and released it outside.
After noticing the bat’s teeth, she realized the potential danger of being bitten, especially considering the recent rabies warning.
Public health officials advise that if a bat is found in a room where someone is sleeping or near small children or animals, it should be captured and tested for rabies.
Additionally, anyone with direct contact with the bat should seek medical evaluation.
Since no one in Rebecca’s household had contact with the bat, releasing it was the appropriate action.
Officials also recommend wearing rubber gloves when handling bats to avoid direct contact.
Bats are known to struggle to take off from the ground and need a height of at least five feet to fly.
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