Found a bat?
If you find a bat in need of help the fastest way Hereford Bat rescue can assist is to contact the Bat Conservation Trust helpline on 0345 1300 228. They will connect you with our closest ambulance drivers to you.
Please do not contact us via email or Facebook unless as a last resort. This will only reach one person who may not see the message in time. If this is the case, please ensure you include your location, telephone number, the circumstances of how you found that bat and if you believe it has been in contact with a cat. This saves time for all involved.
Which bats need help
Bats that require help are when:
They are on the ground
It has been in contact with a cat (attack or carried in the mouth)
Exposed during the daytime such as on walls
Covered in something such as glue/oil or stuck to something such as flypaper or barbed wire.
Has become trapped inside a living area or similar public areas (e.g. offices, schools).
Is a pup without its mother.
These are just common scenarios but if you situation is similar to one of these then its best to get advice from BCT. Please do not release the bat until you have spoken to them as this could be the difference between life and death for the bat in question.
Containing the bat
The best item to use is a shoe box but if you do not have one, a similar sized box will do. Punch a few small air holes in the top and ensure here are no holes the bat can escape from.
Include a small cloth such as a tea towel, old pillowcase etc for the bat to cling on to and hide in to feel safe. If you do not have anything spare, kitchen roll will do.
Add a small shallow bowl of water. Milk bottle caps are perfect and ensures it is not deep enough for the bat to drown in.
You may be able to get the bat into the box without touching it, but if you do need to touch it, please WEAR GLOVES due to the small risk of rabies transmission. You’re very unlikely to be bitten or scratched if you follow our procedure, but if it does happen, please seek immediate medical advice.
Cover the bat with your soft cloth and gently scoop it up and place the cloth and bat in the box.
Add the milk bottle lid filled with a small amount of water and seal the box. Leave the box in a dark quiet place indoors.
You do not need to add food in the box. Our bats are insectivorous and will not eat fruit or cat food. Please do not offer dried mealworms as they will not have the appropriate nutrition.
If a bat is stuck on something such as fly paper, or tangled in fishing line etc, do not remove the item from the bat as you could hurt the bat even further. Our carers are trained for such removal which can be a long and sensitive process. Please let us do the work.
If no one in our team is available to collect your bat, please contact your local vet. All vets are required to provide an out-of-hours service, so if your local vet is shut, please check their website or ring their number and listen to their recorded message for information on out-of-hours care.