06/15/2026
🚨🦇 Public Service Announcement: Bats, Rabies, and Protecting Our Pets and Community
With 4 confirmed cases here in Polk County, we wanted to provide some helpful information.
Bats consume hundreds to thousands of mosquitoes and agricultural pests in a single night. This natural pest control benefits both public health and agriculture.
However, while bats are beneficial, they can also be a primary source of rabies exposure in the United States, which is why public awareness and prevention are so important.
Rabies is fatal once symptoms appear, but it is 100% preventable through vaccination. That is why:
👉 Vaccinating your dogs and cats for rabies is not optional—it’s critical and legally required because even a single rabies case can trigger widespread exposure concerns.
✔️ Vaccinated pets act as a protective barrier between wildlife and your family
✔️ Unvaccinated pets exposed to rabies will face quarantine or euthanasia requirements
✔️ Unvaccinated pets that have significantly scratched or bitten humans face quarantine.
🪹Important note about bat nesting season
April 16 through August 14, bats are raising their young (pups)
* **It is illegal to exclude or block bats from their roosts**
* Disturbing roosts can trap flightless babies, causing them to die
🧠 What To Do If You Encounter a Bat
* **Do NOT touch it**
* Keep pets and people away
* If there’s any chance of contact, report it to animal control or health authorities immediately
* Contact a professional who is licensed to handle bats for removal
🌎 For more information and resources to help bats, visit: [https://www.batcon.org/](https://www.batcon.org/)
🐈 The most recent rabies case was an infected cat from an outdoor colony right here in Lakeland. This article provides helpful information and further shows the importance of vaccination:
https://www.wfla.com/news/polk-county/stray-cat-attacks-5-people-puppy-in-polk-county-tests-positive-for-rabies/
