FORT COLLINS, Colo — Larimer County health officials are warning the public after a rabid bat was found at a park in Fort Collins.
The Larimer County Department of Health and Environment said in a release that the bat was found Thursday near the northwest corner of Twin Silo Park, located off the intersection of Zeigler and Kechter roads.
The bat was tested, and results received Friday confirmed it was positive for rabies, according to the release.
If you, your children or your pets had direct contact with a bat in that area, you should notify the Larimer County Department of Health and Environment by calling 970-498-6666.
Transmission of rabies happens when the saliva of an infected animal enters the skin through a bite or scratch from the animal. Just having been in the park recently is not considered an exposure, the release said.
Rabies is very rare in the United States, the release said, but it is an extremely serious disease that is fatal in humans and other mammals once symptoms begin to develop. It can be prevented with prompt treatment after exposure and before symptoms appear.
Anyone who sees a sick or injured wild animal should call NOCO Humane Animal Protection and Control at 970-226-3647, extension 7. You should never feed or touch the animal, and pets should be current with their rabies vaccinations.
For the latest information on rabies in Larimer County, including a map of the locations where rabid animals have been found, click here.
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