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State Urges Bat Awareness
(IRN) -- Bats -- the kind that fly, not the kind you use in a baseball game -- aren't just for Halloween.

This is the time of year when the baby bats test their little bat wings, so there are more of them out there. So far this year in Illinois, 13 bats -- and a bull bitten by a bat -- have tested positive for rabies. In 2010, 117 Illinois bats tested positive.

The state's public health veterinarian, Dr. Connie Austin, says no matter the season, stay away from bats. Part of the problem, she says, is while you think of rabid animals foaming at the mouth, that is not the case for all animals. Some, like the little bats that can't quite fly yet, suffer partial paralysis and lie on the ground as if they are in need.

Austin says you should call your local animal control or public health department if you need help. If the bat is in your house, put a bucket or large can over the bat if you can do so without being bitten.

(Illinois Radio Network)
06 25 11 by Newsroom
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