Bat Rehab Restrictions

Below is a copy of an email from Bat World Sanctuary and how we can help the bats.


Dear Bat World Sanctuary Supporters,

Many of you are already aware of the restrictions placed on bat rescuers in several states across the US. The restrictions were put into place in speculation that our US bats could conceivably contract Covid-19 from humans and spread it to wild bat colonies. Some states have restricted bat rescue entirely, some states are allowing rescue but restricting release until further studies are performed, and some states have no restrictions whatsoever.

There are four issues with these varied restrictions.

1) Recent testing performed in vivo on big brown bats did not reveal any morbidity or mortality in bats that were inoculated with the SARS-CoV2 virus, yet big brown bats (and other species of bats as well) are still being forced to be held in captivity, at the bat rehabilitators expense, in states that are restricting release. Bats waiting to be released are suffering from capture myopathy and some are self-mutilating. Healthy bats need to fly free, not be caged.

2) Restrictions on bat researchers have been lifted, but the restrictions on life saving bat rescue and release remain in place.

3) Bats, including helpless orphans, are dying unnecessarily. Finding no help in states where rescue is restricted, members of the public, who have not had the benefit of pre-exposure rabies vaccine, are actively rescuing and caring for bats (oftentimes barehanded). Every one of those bats will likely die suffering from mishandling, disease, starvation, dehydration, lack of proper nutrition, injury, or infection. More critically, these restrictions clearly jeopardize the lives of the public, who are not equipped to recognize the signs of rabies in wildlife, nor do they know how to properly hold a bat without being bitten or have the means to humanely euthanize a rabid bat.

4)  Bats are dying horrific deaths needlessly because of these restrictions. Without help in restricted states, bats who are not rescued by the public are taking days to succumb to their injuries or starvation, or they will die horribly by predation of fire ants, feral cats and carnivorous wildlife.

We have written three letters to state and federal officials in order to address these restrictions and why they should be lifted. To read our letters and listed concerns, please see these links:

• First letter
• Second Letter
• Third letter

HOW YOU CAN HELP:

The following states have restricted rescue. If your state is listed and you do not agree with these restrictions, we ask that you write to your state officials and formally request these restrictions be lifted.

STATES RESTRICTING BAT RESCUE AND RELEASE

Alabama
Marianne Hudson: Marianne.Hudson@dcnr.alabama.gov

Connecticut
Laurie Fortin: Laurie.Fortin@ct.gov

Delaware
Holly Niederriter: holly.niederriter@delaware.gov

Idaho
Jon Rachael: jon.rachael@idfg.idaho.gov

Kansas
Becky Doyle: becky.doyle@ksoutdoors.com

Massachusetts
Jennifer Longsdorf: jennifer.longsdorf@state.ma.us

New Jersey
Krista Laws: Krista.Laws@dep.nj.gov

New York
Joseph E Therrien: joseph.therrien@dec.ny.gov

Rhode Island
Charles Brown: charles.brown@dem.ri.gov

Virginia (also requires euthanasia)
Richard Reynolds: rick.reynolds@dgif.virginia.gov
Megan Kirchgessner Megan.Kirchgessner@dgif.virginia.gov

STATES RESTRICTING THE RELEASE OF HEALTHY FLIGHTED BATS

California
Scott Osborn: Scott.Osborn@wildlife.ca.gov

Iowa:
SCPermits@dnr.iowa.gov

Texas
Jonah Evans: Jonah.Evans@tpwd.texas.gov
Nathan Fuller: Nathan.Fuller@tpwd.texas.gov
John Silovsky: John.Silovsky@tpwd.texas.gov

Washington:
Patricia Thompson: Patricia.Thompson@dfw.wa.gov
Katherine Haman: Katherine.Haman@dfw.wa.gov
Abigail Tobin: Abigail.Tobin@dfw.wa.gov
Kristin Mansfield: Kristin.Mansfield@dfw.wa.gov

On behalf of the bats who can be saved with your support, thank you.

Bat World Sanctuary