August is our busiest time of year not just for collections as a whole but for bats in particular. An increase in bat collection requests has also resulted in an increase in the number of bats being inhumanely euthanized by being placed in a freezer alive. Freezing of live bats has not been considered a humane method of euthanasia for many years as it causes extreme suffering and is unreliable. In order to assist the Public Health Units in managing "live" bat cases we wanted to provide some background information on bats and options for humane euthanasia.
Bats have the ability to hibernate or enter a state of torpor which is what makes them such hardy animals and able to survive extreme conditions.
Definition of Torpor (as found in the Merriam-Webster dictionary)
- a state of mental and motor inactivity with partial or total insensibility a state of lowered physiological activity typically characterized by reduced metabolism, heart rate, respiration, and body temperature that occurs in varying degrees especially in hibernating and estivating animals
Bats can enter a state of torpor (relatively deep sleep) for a few hours or a few days at a time. "Hibernation is a more advanced state of torpor where the bat can remain in a very 'deep sleep' for a number of days or weeks at a time." (The Landmark Practice: Bats and Hibernation).
Due to their ability to hibernate it can be very difficult for a member of the public to determine if the animal is in fact deceased or just sleeping. If there is ever a doubt that the bat is still alive it must be taken to a veterinary hospital, animal shelter, or wildlife control company to confirm and humanely euthanize, if necessary.
To give you an idea of how hardy these animals are we have included below some of the circumstances in which the bat was still alive:
- Frozen for 72 hours, shipped overnight to the CFIA laboratory - this resulted in a lab technician receiving PEP for a bite and testing delays
- Crushed in between a door, nasal blood secretions
- Sealed in an airtight container for 48hrs
Please note: None of the above methods are considered humane methods of euthanasia
If you have a live bat that needs to be tested for rabies you can reach out to the following facilities and/or organizations:
- Veterinary Hospitals
- Municipal Animal Control Service
- Humane Societies
-
Wildlife Rehabilitators - click here for a list of all Authorized Wildlife Rehabilitators in Ontario. When looking for someone in your area please ensure they handle rabies vector species.
- Wildlife Control Companies
Please review the links below for additional information on bats and humane euthanasia:
