COLUMBIA - A rabies alert was issued for Boone County by the Missouri Department of Health and Human Services on Thursday. The alert comes after seven bats in the county tested positive for the disease this year, a Columbia/Boone County Health Department news release stated.
The Health Department's Animal Control Division released tips to help avoid contact with rabies:
* Avoid contact with wild animals and stray pets
* Make sure dogs and cats are vaccinated against rabies
* Keep pets under control; do not let them run loose
* Do not keep wild animals as pets
* Notify Animal Control if you suspect an animal has rabies
* Seek immediate medical evaluation when bitten or injured by an animal
Animal Control officers are available to catch bats within homes or buildings 24 hours a day by calling 449-1888.