At approximately 3:30 p.m. Tuesday, Oct. 14, a live bat was found on the ground at the Rabb Play for All Abilities Park, 151 N. A.W. Grimes Blvd. The bat was in a corner of the inside of the replica hospital at the park.

The bat was impounded by Round Rock Animal Control and transported to the Texas Department of State Health Services where it tested positive for rabies.

At this time, there is no known human or animal contact with the bat. It is also not known how long the bat was located in this area.

If you had contact with this bat, call us immediately. Rabies is a fatal disease.

Risks to people
Persons who had contact with this bat should see their physicians as soon as possible to discuss the need for post-exposure rabies vaccinations. Additionally, they should contact either the Round Rock Animal Control Unit at 512-218-5500 or the Texas Department of State Health Services Zoonosis Control Program at 254-778-6744 to report their potential exposures.

A rabies exposure is defined as (1) an animal bite which breaks the skin or (2) exposure of broken skin or mucous membranes to saliva or cerebrospinal fluid.

Risks to animals
After families assess their potential for exposure to the rabid bat, they should determine if their pets could have interacted with this animal. If their pets had face-to-face contact with or were bitten by the rabid bat, additional rabies vaccinations for their pets may be warranted.

Your veterinarian and the Texas Department of State Health Services Zoonosis Control Program can guide you through the post-exposure vaccination series and home isolation necessary after a pet has been exposed to a rabid animal.

If you have knowledge of someone that came into contact with this bat, please call immediately the Round Rock Animal Control Unit or the Texas Department of State Health Services Zoonosis Control Program.