Re: “Be wary of bats around house,” Aug. 9 Open Forum.
Bat brown ( Thinkstock)
To clarify, our department does not discourage the use of bat boxes to enhance habitat for bats. However, we do encourage careful consideration of sites selected for their placement, i.e., away from areas where children play or house pets have unmonitored access.
While it is true that bats can carry and transmit rabies, they may play an important role in reducing mosquito populations and thus may decrease chances of exposure to mosquito-borne illnesses such as West Nile Virus. To prevent exposure to rabid bats, avoid having any direct contact with a dead or sick bat and ensure your house pets are vaccinated.
John M. Douglas Jr., Greenwood Village
The writer is executive director of the Tri-County Health Department.
This letter was published in the Aug. 13 edition.
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