With two recent cases of bat rabies in Niagara County, the Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) reminds residents that some bat species in the state are legally protected from extermination.
The Niagara County Department of Health and DEC advise residents to take precautions against bat intrusion into homes. However, exterminating bats in buildings as a precaution is a violation of state and, in some cases, federal law.
Jen Petit, DEC wildlife biologist for the Western New York region, said not only are there safe ways to evacuate bats from homes, but she also said only a small percentage of bats test positive for rabies.
“In reality, the amount of wild bats that are estimated to have rabies is less than 1%,” Petit said.
Two bats sent for laboratory testing by the Niagara County Department of Health on July 22 were found positive for rabies on July 23, according to Tracy Fricano Chalmers, health department spokesperson.
On July 16, residents found a dead bat under a bed on Maple Street in the Town of Lewiston. Chalmers said because the four household members could not confirm that they hadn’t been exposed to the bat while sleeping, they received post-exposure shots as a precaution. The three dogs living in the residence had up-to-date rabies vaccinations and will receive booster shots as a precaution, she said.
On July 17, a dog killed a bat inside a Carmen Road home in Hartland. The dog’s rabies vaccination was up-to-date, Chalmers said, and it received a booster shot as a precaution. The county health department determined that there was no human exposure to the Hartland bat.
While Chalmers said the laboratory did not confirm the bats’ species, bats made up three of the 10 Niagara County animals that tested positive for rabies in 2025. A cat and six raccoons in the county also tested positive last year. So far this year, six Niagara County raccoons tested positive for rabies. The animals may include roadkill brought in for testing by the DEC.
Protecting yourself from the possibility of a bat finding its way into your home is complicated by the fact that it is illegal to exterminate bats in New York state.
“Bats that are listed as state and federally endangered are legally protected from intentional harm, harassment, killing, and destruction of habitat,” Petit said. “Bats are not a game species, so there is no hunting or trapping of bats allowed.”
“From 2014 to 2023, just over 3% of bats tested in New York were positive for rabies,” Petit said. “That’s of the bats they tested.”
Petit said Niagara County has eight species of bat, with the long-eared bat having federal protection as an endangered species. Five of the county bat species hibernate in caves, while the other migrate south for winter.
If bats are roosting within a residence, sealing the home after bats leave for the winter is the best way to bat-proof. If action needs to be taken sooner, Petit said the only legal method to remove bats is by excluding them by using one-way devices that allow them to leave buildings without returning.
“They can be excluded from the house without touching them,” Petit said. “It means finding entry points and sealing them up. Determine where the main entry points are by going out at sunset and observing bats leaving. You leave those main spots open and place a one-way door so bats can exit but not come in.”
Petit said homeowners should avoid using one-way devices when bat pups are being raised, from June to mid-August.
“It doesn’t mean you can’t do anything during that time,” she said. “If bats are getting into the living space, you can block entry from the attic to the living space. They’ll be able to get in and out of the attic.”
If a live bat is found within living areas, health and wildlife experts advise caution to avoid human and pet exposure. Petit advises calling someone who is licensed to handle them, such as a wildlife rehabilitator. A list is available at https://appfactory.dec.ny.gov/SpecialLicensesSearchSystem/rehab.
“If there is no concern about exposure, call the health department and get additional direction,” Petit said. In Niagara County, that number is 439-7444.
Petit said the DEC can be contacted for wildlife questions Monday through Friday at 716-379-6402.