Bat Found On Warwick Beach Tests Postive For Rabies

WARWICK, RI — A brown bat found on the beach at Goddard Memorial State Park tested positive for rabies, state health and environmental officials confirmed.

A Massachusetts veterinarian found the bat while walking on the beach on June 10. He gave it to an employee of the Rhode Island Department of Environmental Management. The bat was sent to a lab and the positive test result came back the next day.

The DEM said anyone who has contact with a rabid animal should contact the Department of Health's Center for Acute Infectious Disease Epidemiology at 401-222-2577 or after hours at 401-276-8046.

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To prevent rabies, health officials recommend the following:

• Make sure all dogs, cats, and ferrets are up to date on rabies vaccinations
• Avoid contact and don't feed stray or free-roaming domestic animals
• Don't feed and avoid contact with wild animals
• Don't feed your pets outdoors, because that will attract other animals.
• Protect pets by keeping them supervised and under control
• Report all animal bites to your city or town's animal control
• Cover garbage cans so wild animals cannot dig for food

The rabies virus infects the central nervous system and if not treated can lead to death.