Easter Sunday we visited family. When we got home, my 10-year-old daughter ran up to open the garage door while carrying a gas station pop. The garage door opener is broken, so we have to do this manually, which I've come to like. Reminds me of my childhood.
As she opened the door, a damned bat fell down on top of the pop lid and plopped into the driveway.
I grabbed the lid and draw and threw them away. Wife and daughter then went inside, leaving son and me to deal with the dead bat.
Upon trying to scoop the bat up with a shovel, the thing came back to life, spread its wings, and tried to hop after my son. I truly don't know if it could fly, as I don't know what it takes for them to lift off from the ground.
Whichever, I wasn't willing to let it bite my son, so I broke its neck with the shovel.
We threw it away and went inside, whereupon I discovered my daughter drinking her pop after having poured it into a new cup. Dammit.
There had been a hole in the pop's lid where the straw went through, so we headed to the ER after calling them and getting advice to do so, just in case debris had fallen through the straw hole.
The doctor called the state, and the state advised collecting the bat and having it tested prior to starting a rabies series.
So now I have a dead bat in my garage refrigerator and need to call the county health board to see how to send the thing in.
My daughter didn't get scratched or bitten. Part of me thinks I'm overreacting (as does my wife.) Another part of me says the bat was obviously sick and we can't be too careful.
What do you think? Any experience?
As she opened the door, a damned bat fell down on top of the pop lid and plopped into the driveway.
I grabbed the lid and draw and threw them away. Wife and daughter then went inside, leaving son and me to deal with the dead bat.
Upon trying to scoop the bat up with a shovel, the thing came back to life, spread its wings, and tried to hop after my son. I truly don't know if it could fly, as I don't know what it takes for them to lift off from the ground.
Whichever, I wasn't willing to let it bite my son, so I broke its neck with the shovel.
We threw it away and went inside, whereupon I discovered my daughter drinking her pop after having poured it into a new cup. Dammit.
There had been a hole in the pop's lid where the straw went through, so we headed to the ER after calling them and getting advice to do so, just in case debris had fallen through the straw hole.
The doctor called the state, and the state advised collecting the bat and having it tested prior to starting a rabies series.
So now I have a dead bat in my garage refrigerator and need to call the county health board to see how to send the thing in.
My daughter didn't get scratched or bitten. Part of me thinks I'm overreacting (as does my wife.) Another part of me says the bat was obviously sick and we can't be too careful.
What do you think? Any experience?