Rabid Bat Found On North Side As Rabies Season Hits Peak: Experts

CHICAGO — Police and animal control officials are asking residents on the North Side to keep their pets close after a rabid bat was found, authorities announced Friday.

The animal was spotted in the 5900 block of North Magnolia Avenue in the Edgewater neighborhood, local police said in a social media statement.

Pets should be leashed and supervised in order to avoid possible diseases, a spokesman from Animal Care and Control told Patch. If a resident does come across a bat or any animal exhibiting strange behavior, experts said they should call 311 immediately.

August and September see the highest number of bats submitted for rabies testing, according to the Illinois Department of Public Health. This May, an instance in DuPage County was the first record of a rabid bat in the state. Since then, five bats have tested positive for rabies in the county.

Bats who have been infected with rabies may not show any symptoms, but some infected bats may:

• Be seen during the day (bats are active at twilight or after dark)
• Be found in unlikely places, including on lawns or inside homes
• Be unable to fly