The second bat in a week has tested positive for rabies in Plano, a city official says.
The bat was tested after it came into contact with a person near W. Parker Road and Independence Parkway, Plano Animal Services Director Jamey Cantrell said.
In this case, the resident had contact with the bat, but the bat was ill and died before animal services picked it up. It subsequently tested positive for rabies.
"This positive test highlights the importance of being cautious around wildlife and always reporting any contact with them. It also shows why keeping all pets' vaccinations current -- especially rabies -- is important since there is no way to predict when a pet may come into contact with a wild animal," Cantrell said in a statement.
The city said the Plano Animal Shelter does not routinely test wild animals for rabies unless they have had contact with a person or a pet and are among the following non-domestic animals: a bat, a fox, a skunk, a coyote or a raccoon.
The Plano Animal Shelter hosts a low-cost rabies vaccination clinic on the third Friday of every month and will hold a special vaccination clinic on Saturday.
