So just to recap my year so far — Cheeky got bit by a spider in January, and on Wednesday, I had a bat in my yard, hissing at my dogs in the middle of the day. WT *actual* F?!!
Thank goodness they are bird dogs and all just pointed it in a circle and didn’t come in contact with it. On top of that the world’s best veterinarian (Julie Kelly at VCA Aspenwood in Denver) convinced me to vaccinate Boujee a little early since we were in for a bandage change (yes, remember that? When Bouj broke her toe? This year!) This meant all girls (including Collins) were vaccinated and protected had there been any contact.
So back to the bat. I hear this insane hissing noise and thought a cat had gotten into my yard. I look over to see Collins, Cheeky, and Halo point the damn thing in a circle and Boujee was off to the side sorta scared. She looked at me like, Mom! That is not a friend! It’s very mad!
I leapt off the couch and grabbed Collins and Cheeky who were closest to the door and threw them inside. Then grabbed Halo and had to go get Boujee who was the furthest away. With the girls safely inside, I called my vet’s office and asked what to do. Dr. Kelly jumped on the line and made sure I hadn’t been bit or in contact. She said I should try to trap the bat if I could, but don’t do anything to put myself at risk of being bit, scratched, etc. She said to call animal control and see if they could come get it.
I called animal control and was basically told someone *might* come out that day. That was not going to work for me. So, my next call was to Tad, who had a bat land on his face in the middle of the night a few years ago (yes, a whole other story) so I knew he was vaccinated. I told him I was going to get way too skeeved out trying to trap the bat and could he come do it? He told me to try and throw a towel over it and that he was on the way.
So I did try to throw a towel, but throwing a towel from 5 feet away while you are terrified is highly ineffective. I even tried to grab a corner and pull it back to me for a second throw, but then the little shit hissed and me and freaked me all the way out. Figuring I had him somewhat trapped, I anxiously awaited Tad’s arrival.
Much to my surprise, when Tad showed up the bat was gone! Somehow my impenetrable towel heap didn’t work! Tad and I spent the next hour looking for the bat, and as you can imagine, I didn’t really want to be the one too find the bat. I was on pins and needles. Tad used this opportunity to goose me every time I bent over to look under something, which of course caused me to scream, heart to race, etc. It made for a very relaxing afternoon.
We gave up the search and I offered to take Tad to lunch. We had a nice little meal and when I returned 45 minutes later, guess what was dead center in the middle of my yard. Yep. An unmistakeable brown bat heap. I called Tad again, who graciously took the next exit and came to my rescue.
Tad packaged the dead bat in a box and then told me I needed to go drop it off with the health department. He took one look at my terrified face and said he would drive the dead bat there. (But really — has no one seen vampire movies? Could you drive with a “dead” bat in your car?!)
I got a call at 7:30 this morning to inform me that the bat did test positive for rabies. Since there was no contact with me/dogs and the bat, I don’t have to do anything.
In the past, I have waited to do that vaccine until my dogs were 5-6 months. Boujee is just 5 months old today.
I do think everything happens for a reason. I was SUPER mad at myself for breaking Bouj’s toe. However, it is only because she had a broken toe that I found myself at the vet office when she was 15.5 weeks old getting her bandage off and foot x-rayed. My vet wanted to go ahead and vaccinate her for rabies that day so I told her to do whatever she thought was best; that I trusted her judgement of the benefits and risks.
I can’t even think about how today would have gone if I had refused her advice. Needless to say, I’m very thankful the only thing that has been advised so far (and only out of an abundance of caution) was a booster for Cheeky (her 3-year vaccine was to be due this December.)
Headed into the weekend again feeling very thankful for my tribe and liking bats a little bit less. Also, it was only the 2nd bat in Denver county to test positive this year…so maybe a lottery ticket is in order.