LEON WORDEN | SCV NEWS

The fourth rabid bat in the Santa Clarita Valley this season was reported in Saugus.

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A family dog was carrying the bat in its mouth and is now being quarantined for observation, because the bat tested positive for rabies.

Four of Los Angeles County’s 13 rabid bats thus far in 2013 have been found in the SCV — more than the SCV’s fair share, but it’s the “new normal” for the past three years.

It’s a sad case but a good reminder to vaccinate your pets.

If county Department of Animal Care and Control officers suspect your pet has been exposed to rabies and cannot prove that its vaccinations are current, they will quarantine the animal for six months.

If your vaccinations are current, the pet will be put under 30 days’ home detention.

If you see a bat flying during daylight hours, flopping around on the ground, showing a keen interest in the dog dish or lying dead, don’t touch it. Call the Castaic Animal Care Center instead at 661-257-3191.

Do you have a news tip? Call us at (661) 298-1220, or drop us a line at community@hometownstation.com.

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