The Department of Health

Your state’s Department of Health is a government entity dedicated to communicable disease prevention and health endorsement. They set strict regulations on clean water, air, streets, environment, and more. Overall, they work toward protecting the public from potential health threats. When it comes to commercial settings, like places of employment, bat infestations are consider such a threat.

Bat Infestations

Bats are mammals that can carry and transmit a wide range of diseases and unsanitary health implications. Not only are they known carriers of the Rabies virus, which is 100% fatal to this day, they can also contract and spread Histoplasmosis, a serious lung infection that causes severe respiratory complications. Histoplasmosis is caused by fungal spores that develop on bat guano (droppings). These spores can then become airborne and travel through ducts, spreading to the common areas of the building.

Resolve Bat Problems Promptly

Business Owners:

If you are a commercial property or business owner, it is important that you resolve a bat infestation as soon as possible. Otherwise, you could face certain legal ramifications. An employee can report you to the Department of Health if a bat problem is not managed within a reasonable amount of time.

Employees:

If you are an employee of a company that has a bat infestation at large, you have the right to take this concern to your supervisor. And if they fail to resolve the issue in a timely manner, you also have the right to report the infestation to your state’s Department of Health.

Do Not Worry

The penalties for being reported to the Department of Health are not too harsh. Generally, business owners are given a warning to get the problem under control, and if they do not do so properly within the time frame given, they will likely be fined. Fines can be heavy, much higher than the cost to solve a bat infestation, so it is wiser to deal with the problem rather than waiting to be reported.

Virginia Bat Removal and Control 804-729-9097

Bats have had it hard in terms of repute. Many people think of bats a dirty rodents and pests, when in fact, bats are incredibly unique and remarkable species that play an integral role in our surrounding eco-systems. For instance, bats are the only mammal that can fly! This is an incredible attribute, making them very special. Furthermore, they are integral in insect control, consuming more than 1,000 mosquitoes, gnats, flies, moths, and more, every night. That is a great favor for you since it keeps your property clear of unwanted bugs. As you can see, bats are not as bad as they are made to seem. However, there are cases in which bats in the wild become nuisance bats.

Continue reading to learn the difference between a wild bat and a nuisance bat. The distinction is important, especially if you have bats on or around your property.

Nuisance Bats

In Virginia, bats can be abated or excluded if they are deemed a “nuisance” to a residential or commercial property owner. According to the Virginia Department of Game and Inland Fisheries (VDGIF), “(…) species found committing or about to commit depredation upon ornamental or shade trees, agricultural crops, wildlife, livestock or other property or when concentrated in numbers and manners as to constitute a health hazard or other nuisance.”

Wild Bats

Although bats can fit into the “nuisance” category quite often, it does not include bats that are labeled as “endangered” or “threatened” under federal law. Endangered and threatened species of bat are protected under the Endangered Species Act. This Act makes it a Federal offense to “harass, harm, pursue, hunt, shoot, wound, kill, trap, capture, or collect, or to attempt to engage in any such conduct” to endangered or threatened species.

There are Currently 3 Endangered Species of Bat in Virginia:

☑ Gray Bat (Myotis grisescens)
☑ Indiana Bat (Myotis sodalis)
☑ Virginia Big-Eared Bat (Corynorhinus townsendii virginianus)

What To Do if You Find a Bat

If you discover that there’s a bat in your house, you need to contact a licensed Virginia bat removal company for emergency bat removal services. You can try to isolate the bat to one area of the home. So if it is in the bedroom, simply shut the door and leave one all the windows open to encourage the bat to fly outside. Leave the room like this until the bat removal specialists arrive.

If you find a bat on your property, whether a stranded baby or an injured adult, take your pets inside and leave it alone. Let nature take its course. If you have outdoor pets or children, contact a wildlife rescue company to have the bat safely and humanely removed and relocated. Special permits are required to transport bats and other wildlife.

If you notice bats flying around your property, you are in luck because you have a built-in insect control system. However, you need to have your home inspected and sealed up to by a licensed Virginia bat control company to ensure bats cannot enter your home and cause structural damages.

Virginia Bat Removal and Control

Virginia Bat Removal and Control 804-729-9097

Call Virginia Bat Pros at 804-729-9097 for safe and humane bat removal and control assistance in Old Dominion. We serve all of Virginia and its surrounding areas. We offer 24 hour bat removal, as well as, numerous residential and commercial bat exclusion services, such as bat cleanup and restorations for bat damages. We even provide insurance work! Contact us today for a free estimate.

Virginia Bat Pros

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What You Need to Know About the Department of Health and Bats

Whether you are a commercial property owner, manager, or employee, there are some important facts you need to know about bat infestations and the Department of Health. Continue reading to learn these facts and more.