The Little Brown Bat (Myotis) is one of the most common bats in the U.S. and Canada.

The little brown bat has glossy brown fur. It has hair on its toes and it has pointed ears. It is between three and five inches long and weighs between 1/16 and 1/2 an ounce.

If there is any chance that the bat had contact with a person or pet or if the bat is found in the house the most important thing you can do is to capture the bat and have it tested for rabies.  Call the Westchester County Department of Health at (914) 813-5000 for advice on what to do next.

If you are certain that there was no contact with a person or pet (i.e., only if you saw the bat fly in the house and never lost sight of it), close the room and closet doors, open the windows and watch the bat until it leaves.

How do you capture a bat?
The safest way to capture a bat is to use the services of an Licensed - Registered Trappers or police officer.

If you decide to capture the bat yourself, be extremely cautious to minimize the risk of further exposure:
     Turn on room lights and close the windows.
     Close the room and closet doors.
     Wait for the bat to land.
     Wearing gloves, place a coffee can, pail or similar container over the bat.
     Slide a piece of cardboard under the container to trap the bat.
     Firmly hold the cardboard in place against the top of the container, turn it right
          side up and tape the cardboard tightly to the container.
     For more detailed information, see also the Centers for Disease Control.

After the bat is captured.....
If there is any chance that contact with a person or pet occurred, or you are not sure if contact occurred, DO NOT release the bat.  Call the Westchester County Department of Health at (914) 813-5000 to arrange for the bat to be tested for rabies.  The majority of bats in Westchester County are not rabid; thus by having the bat tested for rabies, you may spare your family from the need for rabies shots.

Rabies post exposure treatment should be considered if the bat....
is found to be rabid;
is not available for testing;
was untestable;
AND
there was physical contact with a person where a bite or scratch or contamination of any open wound or mucous membrane (eye, nose, mouth) could not be ruled out: a bat bite may be difficult or impossible to recognize.
even in the absence of known physical contact, where the bat may have had access to:
     an unattended young child;
     a sleeping individual;
     a person under the influence of alcohol or drugs;
     a person with other sensory or mental impairment.