April 17th is National Bat Appreciation Day! 

April is the best time of the year to observe bats, as they are typically beginning to emerge from hibernation. Bats are often misunderstood and feared, but bats play a critical role in our environment. 

In one hour, a single bat can eat up to 1,000 mosquitoes. In areas with large bodies of water, these bats are especially helpful keeping the mosquito population at bay.  I t has also been estimated that bats save farmers in North America over $22 billion every year in pest control services. 

Bats are slow to reproduce and often concentrate in large numbers in summer and winter. Bats can live over 25 years and usually have only one baby, called a pup, per year. As a result, bats are very susceptible to drastic population decline due to disease, pesticides, and habitat destruction. 

Many people refer to bats as "flying mice," but actually, bats are more closely related to humans than they are to rodents.

And aren't we supposed to be nice to our relatives?

There are several ways you can become more involved with our shelter. You can spend your free time socializing with the animals by becoming a volunteer , participate in and attend one of our many fundraisers or events , sponsor a kennel , become a foster parent or simply make a financial donation online. However you want to help, know that it is greatly appreciated and truly does impact the lives of the thousands of homeless animals that enter our shelter every year. We need your help to help them!