Alas. The bats aren't in the belfry, but in my home
The first one we found in the house was handled by my
husband. I didn't even see it.
Four days later, my daughter and I were home alone when I suddenly saw a bat flying around the main room, which is a great room configuration. With its 14
foot ceilings, this is not a good space in which to catch a bat. Not that I
could catch a bat in any space. It is illegal to kill them.
Bats are an almost endangered species, and finding one in
your home would be nothing more than a scary nuisance, except for the fact that
they can carry rabies, which is basically incurable. If a rabid bat bites you
in your sleep and you don't realize it, you will be fatally wounded by the time
you develop symptoms. The bites can be virtually invisible.
Were we freaked out? Yes, we were. We called the animal
control, which actually doesn't exist in our area (except for a phone number).
We called the cops. They said too bad, so sad. My husband, who was out of
state, called the cops. They said, "We'll send someone over." Hmmmm.
A cop arrived. At the same time, two of my friends
arrived to rescue us, one armed with a tennis racquet. Lol It was a good idea.
The cop brought down the bat. It took a
bit of work though. I never could have done it. He was determined not to kill
the critter. He put it in a paper bag and said he would bring it to the animal
rescue center to see if they could save it. I wanted it tested
for rabies but he wouldn't allow it.
I couldn't help noticing the significance of 3 women and a young girl standing around while the man got the bat. That thing terrified me. What can I say. The cop was a young guy, cute. He said we could call him Batman. lol
My daughter and I went to my friend's house for the night.
We moved out of our home the next day. I don't co-habit with bats.
We called around for a professional to deal with the
problem, and all we heard is, "It will take 3-4 weeks. This is the biggest
bat summer we've ever had." Finally my husband found someone. I hope he's
good.
I couldn't take a picture of the bat. So I leave you with
this sign near my house. The sign says: Bear Crossing. Stay Alert (Ya think?)
We've also received official notice from the town saying
bears are now a problem in our area. I'm done with Mother Nature. Or at least
I'd like to be.
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