Bat Tested Positive For Rabies After Coming In Contact With Plano Resident

A bat tested positive for rabies after coming in contact with a Plano resident this week. Plano Animal Services confirmed that it happened in the area of West 15th Street and Custer Road.

Plano Animal Services Director Jamey Cantrell stated, "This positive test highlights the importance of being cautious around wildlife and always reporting any contact with them. It also shows why it's so important to keep all pet vaccinations current, especially rabies. There is now way to predict when a pet may come into contact with a wild animal."

Both Plano city ordinances and Texas state law require animals to receive rabies vaccinations along with booster shots to keep them healthy.

Wild animals such as bats, foxes, skunks, coyotes, and raccoons are not generally tested for rabies unless they have come in contact with a person or a pet.

The bat that was tested after coming in contact with a resident was ill and died before Animal Services could pick it up. Because of the nature of what happened in the situation, the bat was then tested and was found to be rabid.

According to the Plano Animal Shelter, the shelter hosts low-costs rabies vaccination clinic for pets on the third Friday of every month.

Photo Credit: Getty