We can't stop here—New Canaan is bat country!
"We already had two calls about bats this morning," said New Canaan Animal Control Officer Maryann Kleinschmitt Monday morning. "It's about to get busy."
Kleinschmitt said town residents should prepare for bat season, which runs for about 8 weeks through August and September and residents can see increased bat activity in and around their homes.
"If you spot a bat flying around inside your house, that is defined in the State of Connecticut as an incident of 'contact,'" Kleinschmitt said.
Contact with bats can be dangerous for humans and pets. A bat bite can often be insignificant to the point that children might not even realize they've been bitten.
But a bat doesn't even need to bite to pass along rabies. Touching a surface with bat saliva—like a countertop a bat has flown over and drooled on—and then touching a mucus membrane—like running one's eyes—can pass the disease along as well.
If a person spots a bat, especially in a room where they sleep, the bat must be captured and transported for testing to find out if the bat is infected with rabies, so that the occupants of the home can receive the proper treatment. Pet owners should always be sure their pets are up to date on their vaccinations.
Those with a bat problem will see heightened activity during dusk when a bat comes out from hiding to eat. During the day, a bat will hide in a dark area of the home, like a closet, in a curtain or behind a mirror. The area's most common bats are the Big and Small Brown Bat species.
Kleinschmitt said the office deals with roughly 4 bat calls each week, on average.
"There's an 8-week period where the activity is really high," she said. "All the surrounding areas go through the same thing."
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