Rabies Alert!

Rabies is an infectious viral disease that affects the nervous system of humans and other mammals. People get rabies from the bite of an animal with rabies (a rabid animal). Any wild mammal, like a raccoon, skunk, fox, coyote, or bat, can have rabies and transmit it to people. It is also possible, but quite rare, that people may be exposed to rabies if infectious material from a rabid animal, such as saliva, gets directly into their eyes, nose, mouth, or a wound.

Rabies is a fatal disease. The goal of public health is, first, to prevent human exposure to rabies by education and, second, to prevent the disease by anti-rabies vaccination if exposure occurs. Each year, tens of thousands of people are successfully protected from developing rabies through vaccination after being bitten by an animal that may have rabies. A few people die of rabies each year in the United States, usually because they do not recognize the risk of rabies from the bite of a wild animal and do not seek medical advice. (see http://www.cdc.gov/ncidod/dvrd/rabies/)

Bats

Rabies can be confirmed only in a laboratory. However, any bat that is active by day, is found in a place where bats are not usually seen (for example, in a room in your home or on the lawn), or is unable to fly, is far more likely than others to be rabid. Such bats are often the most easily approached. Therefore, it is best never to handle any bat.

UF Environmental Health & Safety (EH&S) Pest Control Management is in charge of the bat house on campus where about 20,000 bats reside. Bats also reside in other areas in and around campus. EH&S staff estimate that approximately 1 in 200 or about .5% of the bats in and around the UF campus are probably rabid. The rabies virus is a deadly virus that comes from the saliva of an infected animal. It is passed from animal to animal through direct contact with the sick animal's saliva or nervous system material like brain matter. If a human contracts the virus and does not seek treatment, the virus can prove to be fatal.

Read more about the UF Bat House: http://www.wec.ufl.edu/extension/wildlife_uf/bat_house.htm

Feral Cats & Dogs

Feral cats and dogs are stray and wild (i.e. not domesticated) animals that survive on their own by eating whatever they can catch -- rats, mice, moles, and even sick bats. Feral cats and dogs have not been spayed or neutered and multiply rapidly. These animals have not been vaccinated and may be infected with rabies. Feral cats have been seen in and around residence facilities and academic buildings on campus. Misguided residents often feed the cats near the residence facilities. If a resident comes in contact with a rabid feral cat (or dog), they could contract the rabies virus. If a human contracts the virus and does not seek treatment, the virus can prove to be fatal.

Other Wild Animals (raccoons, squirrels, etc.)

Ten percent of the raccoon population in this area is estimated to be infected with the rabies virus. Raccoons feed out of dumpsters and also on food left out for feral cats. Sick or rabid raccoons will demonstrate unusual behavior such as no fear of humans, wandering around during daylight, and wandering into areas near residence facilities. If a human contracts the virus and does not seek treatment, the virus can prove to be fatal.

Rabies Virus

Read more about the rabies virus on the CDC web site: http://www.cdc.gov/ncidod/dvrd/rabies/

Protect Yourself on the UF Campus

IF YOU SEE A BAT, DO NOT PICK IT UP OR TOUCH IT. Notify Housing Pest Control, EH&S Campus Pest Control, or UFPD.
AVOID CONTACT WITH BATS, FERAL CATS & DOGS, RACCOONS OR SQUIRRELS. If you come in contact with a potentially rabid animal ...

Immediately contact Housing Pest Control, EH&S Campus Pest Control, or UFPD. They will capture the animal for testing.

If you are bitten by a bat -- or if infectious material (such as saliva or brain material if it is killed) from a bat gets into your eyes, nose, mouth, or a wound -- wash the affected area thoroughly and get medical advice immediately. Contact is exposure. People usually know when they have been bitten by a bat. However, most types of bats have very small teeth which may leave marks that disappear quickly. There are situations in which you should seek medical advice even in the absence of an obvious bite wound. For example, if you awoke because a bat landed on you while you were sleeping, if you awoke and found a bat in your room, if you see a bat in a room with an unattended child, or see a bat near a mentally impaired or intoxicated person, immediately contact Housing Pest Control, EH&S Campus Pest Control, or UFPD -- seek medical advice.

DO NOT FEED FERAL CATS or DOGS. It is a violation of University and Housing health and safety rules and a violation of county ordinances. Feeding a feral cat or dog makes you responsible for the animal including required proof of vaccinations/ health certificate. Notify Housing Pest Control, EH&S Campus Pest Control, or UFPD. Feral cats and dogs must be removed from the university for the safety of our community. The animals multiply so rapidly that two becomes twenty in a matter of months.
REPORT ANY WILD ANIMALS (eg. raccoons, squirrels, etc.) WITH UNUSUAL BEHAVIOR. Do not try to catch a raccoon or squirrel. Do not feed the animal. Do not try to kill the animal. Notify Housing Pest Control, EH&S Campus Pest Control, or UFPD.
IF YOU ARE BITTEN BY AN ANIMAL, SEEK IMMEDIATE MEDICAL ATTENTION. Seek immediate medical help and then notify Housing Pest Control, EH&S Campus Pest Control, or UFPD. The animal needs to be located to be checked for rabies.

Contact Info

UF EH& S Pest Management Services: 392-1904
Housing Pest Control: 392-2171 x 10917
UFPD: 392-1111

Report your bat/feral cat/raccoon concern online via H.A.W.K. -- http://www.housing.ufl.edu/hawk/ -- Click pest control choice.

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