While roughly 25 rabid bats are identified annually across Cook County, only two have tested positive so far this year in the Southland, with eight total across the county in 2021 to date.
That is according to data published in an interactive rabid bat map the county highlighted just before Halloween to draw attention to its rabies-prevention efforts.
Those efforts include a clinic slated for 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturday at the Riverdale Fire Department, 725 W. 138th St., where the Anti-Cruelty Society will provide one-year rabies vaccines and microchips free to the first 75 dogs. Other free and low-cost opportunities can be found at cookcountyil.gov/service/low-cost-rabies-clinic.
Rabies is considered 100% preventable in pets, but always fatal for unvaccinated pets, according to county officials. The Department of Animal and Rabies Control, in partnership with other animal organizations, have vaccinated more than 4,000 pets against rabies so far this year.
According to the county’s interactive map, the two bats from the Southland that tested positive this year were found on Aug. 8 in the 10900 block of McVicker Avenue in Chicago Ridge and on Sept. 2 in the 15600 block of Lexington Avenue in Harvey.
Data on the map goes back to 2018. Last year, bats tested positive for rabies in Orland Park and Crestwood. In 2019, rabid bats were identified in Orland Park and Beverly. And in 2018, rabid bats were discovered in Oak Lawn, Homewood, Morgan Park and Beverly, for a total of 10 in the Southland over the few years tracked by the map.
A spokesperson for the county’s animal control noted rabid bats are found all throughout the county, with no geographic area or environment showing higher numbers. But they tend to be seen and tested more during the summer than in winter months, according to information provided by Brittany Hill, a public information officer for Cook County.
The county indicated a “significant number” of bats on the map were found inside of people’s homes, meaning even pets that stay indoors can be exposed to rabies. In 2020, indoor cats were diagnosed with rabies nearly four times more than dogs across the United States. County officials said dogs are often vaccinated but people incorrectly assume indoor cats have nothing to worry about.
More Top Picks Best Pet Stairs For High Beds
Animal control notes that, similar to other mammals, bats seek water, food and shelter, which is why they sometimes wind up inside residences. Because they are able to squeeze into tight areas through holes or cracks, “bat proofing” is recommended as a first step to keeping bats outside. When outside, animal control recommends keeping pets on a short leash while walking and being aware of surroundings to prevent contact with wildlife.
Bats become disorientated and may appear more aggressive because they are not fully in control of their motor skills, according to animal control. Rabies in dogs can appear in two forms. Furious dogs with rabies will be incredibly aggressive and bite at anything around them.
Somnolent dogs seem weak and unaware. Cats always show the furious form of rabies, according to the county.
Other animals, such as skunks and raccoons, may have nonspecific symptoms, so the county cautions people against going near any animals that appear “sick” and instead notify authorities. Skunks, raccoons and foxes are other common carriers of the virus. While coyotes, spotted with some regularity in urban areas in recent years, have the potential to carry rabies, animal control notes that bats are the only mammals in Cook County to have tested positive for rabies.
Despite the risk bats pose — they most commonly transmit rabies in the United States — they also play an important role in Cook County’s ecosystem, including consuming “large amounts” of insects such as mosquitoes, according to a news release. The county notes that a single half-ounce brown bat can eat half its body weight in insects each night. And only roughly 6% of weak or sick bats captured across the U.S. test positive for rabies.
Nine species of bats have been documented in Cook County over more than four decades of surveys. The county says roughly half those species are colonial, roosting in groups of hundreds or thousands. The others are solitary, hanging either alone or with maternal family groups.
A spokesperson for the Forest Preserve District of Cook County noted that in South Cook County, big brown, eastern red and hoary bats are the most common species. Silver-haired bats may be spotted during migration. The big brown bat is the only colonial species of the local group, and the forest preserve district tries to provide them what they need to thrive via maternal colonies in open spaces away from people, including abundant sunlight for warmth and nearby water.
Two rabid bats have also been found this year in Peotone, according to the Will County Health Department. They were discovered in April and June, with the second of them found inside of a residence.
Bill Jones is a freelance reporter for the Daily Southtown.