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<\/p>\nBUFFALO, N.Y. (WKBW) \u2014 A surge in Erie County residents seeking rabies vaccinations has health officials urging people to take encounters with bats and other wild animals seriously.<\/p>\n
The Erie County Department of Health approved post-exposure rabies vaccinations for 150 residents in July, more than double the number approved in any previous July in recent years.<\/p>\n
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WKBW<\/p>\n
Health Commissioner Dr. Gale Burstein says the increase in July could reflect more potential exposures, greater public awareness or a combination of both. And exposures normally peak each year in August.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe expect we’ll receive more calls,\u201d Burstein said. \u201cBut we’re prepared.\u201d<\/p>\n
Buffalo couple finds bat in bedroom<\/p>\n
J. Dale Shoemaker and his fianc\u00e9e, Adrienne Boudreau, learned about the risk firsthand. They were asleep in their West Side apartment earlier this week a pet woke them up.<\/p>\n
\u201cOur cat was kind of going nuts in the bedroom, and there was like a weird buzzing noise,\u201d Shoemaker said.<\/p>\n
They initially went back to sleep. Hours later, they realized what had disturbed them.<\/p>\n
\u201cI hear her scream, \u2018a bat,'” Shoemaker said. \u201cAnd so we just kind of went into action mode.\u201d<\/p>\n
Shoemaker eventually trapped the bat and released it. It was only afterward that he learned he should have captured the animal and brought it to the health department for testing.<\/p>\n
\u201cIf it’s negative, you don’t have to get the shots, but if it’s positive, then obviously you do,\u201d Shoemaker said.<\/p>\n
Because the bat was no longer available for testing, Shoemaker and his fianc\u00e9e decided not to take any chances. They went to Erie County Medical Center to receive post-exposure rabies vaccinations.<\/p>\n
Shoemaker, a reporter with Investigative Post, said the experience changed his understanding of how serious a potential rabies exposure can be.<\/p>\n
\u201cI texted my father, and he was like, \u2018Don’t worry about it, you’re fine,\u2019\u201d Shoemaker said. \u201cAnd then we called the health department and they’re like, well, actually this is pretty serious.\u201d<\/p>\n
Shoemaker said he and his fianc\u00e9e ultimately decided it was better to err on the side of caution.<\/p>\n
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J. Dale Shoemaker<\/p>\n
\u201cWe’re getting married in a month and I would really like to begin my life with my fianc\u00e9e, my soon-to-be wife, and I would prefer that neither of us die anytime soon,\u201d he said. \u201cSo we decided to play it safe.\u201d<\/p>\n
Rabies is deadly \u2014 but preventable<\/p>\n
Dr. Burstein emphasized that rabies should never be taken lightly.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe overarching message is that rabies is 100% fatal,\u201d Dr. Burstein said. \u201cIf you end up getting the disease, it’s a progressive neurologic disease, and there is no cure for it.\u201d<\/p>\n
Once symptoms develop, treatment is generally no longer effective. But rabies is preventable when people receive appropriate post-exposure treatment before symptoms begin.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe good news is that rabies is 100% preventable with the vaccines,\u201d Burstein said.<\/p>\n
The recent increase in vaccinations is significant.<\/p>\n
The Erie County Department of Health approved rabies post-exposure vaccinations for:<\/p>\n
150 people in July 202672 people in July 202566 people in July 202457 people in July 2023<\/p>\n
The July 2026 total was more than twice the number recorded during any previous July in recent years.<\/p>\n
Burstein said it is too early to determine exactly why the numbers are rising.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe don’t know if the increase is because there’s more exposures or there’s more people aware and then so they’re calling,\u201d she said. \u201cIt’s probably a combination.\u201d<\/p>\n
Bats aren’t the only concern<\/p>\n
Bats are a significant source of rabies exposure, but health officials also warn residents to avoid contact with other wild mammals, including raccoons, skunks and other animals. Burstein said a woodchuck even tested positive for rabies in Erie County this year.<\/p>\n
Health officials also stress that bats themselves are an important part of the ecosystem.<\/p>\n
\u201cBats are good for the environment,\u201d Dr. Burstein said. \u201cThey eat the mosquitoes that are very annoying and can give us West Nile virus. But we don’t need them in our house.<\/p>\n
Shoemaker agreed.<\/p>\n
\u201cI’m pro bat,\u201d he said, \u201cjust not in my bedroom, please.\u201d<\/p>\n
What to do if you encounter a bat<\/p>\n
If a bat gets inside your home, you should not release it if there’s even a slight chance a person or pet was exposed to the wild animal. Instead, you should contact your local health department for guidance and, when possible, safely capture the bat so it can be tested for rabies.<\/p>\n
The New York State Department of Health has also published guidance on safely capturing a bat.<\/a><\/p>\n New York State Dept. of Health<\/p>\n If a person or pet has had contact with a bat or another wild animal, health officials say it is important to contact the health department promptly to determine whether rabies post-exposure treatment is necessary.<\/p>\n County working to vaccinate pets and wildlife<\/p>\n Erie County is also taking steps to reduce the spread of rabies among animals, working with the U.S. Department of Agriculture to distribute oral rabies vaccines to wildlife in wooded areas.<\/p>\n![\"New](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-pa\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/1786671136_327_.png\")
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