Bat Tests Positive for Rabies in Toro Park Area of Salinas; Pet Owners are Encouraged to Vaccinate their Pets

 

A bat found on Tuesday, June 20, 2023, in the Toro Park area of County of Monterey has tested positive for the rabies virus. Hitchcock Road Animal Services investigated this incident and determined that, while there was exposure to an owned pet, there was no known human exposure. The pet that was exposed has been placed under quarantine. The bat was a Mexican free-tailed bat, which is a common species in Monterey County. 

 

Rabies is a virus that causes a fatal illness in humans and other mammals. The County of Monterey Health Department want to remind the public that there is a continuous presence of rabies in local wildlife, both inside and outside of city limits. In Monterey County, skunks and bats are the most common species to test positive for the virus.  Domestic animals, including our own companion dogs and cats, are at risk for rabies exposure when they come in contact with wildlife. Domestic animals are also at increased risk of rabies if they are not protected by a rabies vaccination, and they come in contact with wildlife.  

 

Health and animal control officials recommend the following precautions: 

 

    Keep your cats and dogs current on their rabies virus vaccinations. 

    Owners should avoid leaving their pets outside unattended, particularly at dawn and dusk when wildlife can be most active. 

    Owners of domestic livestock species such as horses, sheep, goats, pigs and cattle should discuss rabies vaccinations with their animal’s veterinarian as these species are also susceptible to rabies infections from rabid wildlife. 

    Residents should avoid leaving pet food and water outside because it encourages wildlife activity around the home. 

    People should avoid contact with wildlife, particularly skunks and bats, at all times. Do not touch or approach animals acting strangely. If any wild animals are found dead, acting abnormally or ill, or if you think you or your pets have been exposed to rabies, please contact your local animal control agency.

     

For more information on vaccinations requirements in the County of Monterey, please refer to County ordinance 8.08.010 (https://library.municode.com/ca/monterey_county/codes/code_of_ordinances?nodeId=TIT8ANCO_CH8.08VAVACELI).   For questions related to County of Monterey Pet Licensing or Animal Control, please visit Hitchcock Road Animal Services at www.hitchcockroadanimals.org or call 831-769-8850. 

More information about rabies is available by calling the County of Monterey Health Department’s Communicable Disease Unit at 831-755-4521, by visiting the Hitchcock Road Animal Services’ website (www.hitchcockroadanimals.org), visiting the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s website (https://www.cdc.gov/rabies/) or contacting your local veterinarian.