Bat Attacks Coachella Valley Mom In Her Bedroom, Sons Come To Her Aid – Patch

CATHEDRAL CITY, CA — A sleepy Coachella Valley mother of three thought she was nudging her poodle away, but she got a handful of bat fur instead. After suffering bites from the leathery-winged creature in the ensuing chaos, she sought post-rabies care and alerted the Riverside County Department of Animal Services.
The bat has since tested negative for the deadly rabies disease, however, Cathedral City resident Laura-Alicia Castro’s “horror movie-like” experience won’t soon be forgotten, she told Patch.
Castro is a single mom living with her three sons. The older boys come and go, as one plays football in high school and another works a full-time job. She isn’t sure how long the bat has been in her home or how it got there, she said. Still, the leathery-winged creature made itself comfortable inside her bedroom closet.
“On Tuesday, I noticed bites on my legs that looked like ant bites but were oozing,” she said. “I looked but didn’t see any ants or mosquitoes in my room.” The next night, she was restless, scrolling through Facebook as her 5-year-old slept at her side.
“I feel something on my shoulder and think it’s Rocco, my poodle. Normally I’d turn around and kiss my poodle, but I didn’t – I was annoyed and tried to shoo him with my hand, and then I touched it. It did not feel like my dog.”
The bat spread its large wings and flew in circles around her bed, darting at her child who was covered by a blanket, she said.
“My oldest got my boy out of there, and my middle son helped me out of the room. There was a lot of screaming!” she said. “I don’t know if I scared the bat first or if the bat scared me first.”

Ultimately, a neighbor used a broom and knocked the bat into the bathtub. Castro took herself to Eisenhower Hospital for preventative rabies treatment involving a series of shots. Then, she called the Riverside County Department of Animal Services.
At 2 p.m. Wednesday Officer Eric Espejo impounded the creature that has since tested negative for rabies. The bat was euthanized during the testing procedure, according to Animal Services Spokesperson John Welsh.
“As is standard for a rabies control agency such as Riverside County Animal Services, a bat is always tested for rabies if it comes into contact with a human,” Welsh said.

Still, human and bat contact cases are few and far between in Riverside County, Welsh said. Anywhere from six to ten people a year have an encounter with a bat that leads to being bitten, and approximately 20 bats a year are gathered in by the department for rabies testing.
In March two Corona boys were sought after coming into contact with a dead bat that was found to have rabies. Typically bats infected with rabies are discovered by animals or are already dead, according to Welsh. The Riverside County Animal Services officers will come to collect bats to test them for that disease.

Officials suggest that anyone who believes they have been exposed to a bat should consult with their healthcare provider to be evaluated for post-rabies exposure, according to a report from Riverside University Health System Public Health.
Castro was told by medical professionals that she does not need to complete the next round of rabies treatment due to the negative test.
“I am sorry the bat had to die, but I am so relieved to not have rabies,” Castro said. “My boys were my superheroes, and I’m considering dressing as Bat Girl for Halloween. It was so scary but we’re laughing now.”

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