Bats

[limpbiskit]

My question involves landlord-tenant law in the State of: Wisconsin

I live in the basement of an old duplex. My room contains a utility closet. When I first moved in the apartment was not cleaned, I complained and got a large reduction on my first month rent to basically clean it myself, but thats a different story. In this utility closet I found when I thought were mice droppings. I placed a few traps and although mice are my biggest fear, I didnt think much of it.

Fast forward few months, my cats catch a bat in the living quarters of the apartment. I caught it and brought it in for testing, negative, ok just a fluke. Well last month they caught another bat, and it all clicked, the droppings I am finding are not mice, but bat. The utility closet has vents that go to the attic so the bats are coming down during the night and accidentally finding there way into my apartment (poor things).

Plot twist, this bat tested positive for rabies. 100$ x2 to get the cats vaccinated again, and x000$ to get me vaccinated. I didnt say anything to landlord first time but this second time I called and said hey we have a problem. And this new bat has rabies.

We clearly found where the bats are getting in from the outside. The landlords are taking weeks to get this fixed and I am terrified I will find another bat. If you ever heard bats in panic it is a terrifiying high pitched squealing sound, I hear it everywhere I go now out of fear.

Do I have any legal recourse to pay for rabies or break lease? Lease is up in a few months, I just wish they would take this more seriously

Thanks,

[adjusterjack]

Here's your problem. You rented a crappy place from a slumlord. You leave, he keeps your deposit. You sue for the deposit and it takes months to get to court. You spend money on filing and process service with no guarantee of winning.

You stay and, what, you sue for the testing and vaccines? That'll take months to get through court and you'll be out of there by then. Still no guarantee of winning.

Sure, there are laws protecting you but slumlords have the advantage of time.

You know that the bats are coming through the vent in the closet. Put something over the vent to close it off. Duct tape would probably work.

Meantime, put all your notices in writing.

Next time you find a bat, mail it to your landlord. Better yet, find him and toss it to him.

PS: Next time find a better place to live than in somebody's basement. And don't hand over any money unless the place is clean and everything works.

[Mercy&Grace]

Does your lease have a clause about pest control? Most leases in my state for places that are not a apartment complex. State pest control is the tenants responsibility.

[llworking]

Does your lease have a clause about pest control? Most leases in my state for places that are not a apartment complex. State pest control is the tenants responsibility.

I think that bats are a habitability issue since one of them tested positive for rabies. I would be calling whatever agency handles inspections for rental units and get the landlord ordered to immediately resolve the problem.

[budwad]

Plot twist, this bat tested positive for rabies. 100$ x2 to get the cats vaccinated again, and x000$ to get me vaccinated. I didnt say anything to landlord first time but this second time I called and said hey we have a problem. And this new bat has rabies.

If your cats were up to date on their rabies shots there was no need to get them revaccinated especially if they did not have any contact with the bat. Did your cats bite the bat or did the bat bite or scratch (an opened wound) the cats? Rabies virus is transmitted through direct contact (such as through broken skin or mucous membranes in the eyes, nose, or mouth) with saliva or brain/nervous system tissue or blood from an infected animal.

Who told you to have them revaccinated? Was it the vet or the health department? You don't get it because there are droppings in the apt unless perhaps you may eat them and even then, it is highly unlikely that the disease could be transmitted.

You don't say how much it cost to get you vaccinated but I bet is was less than it cost for your cats. OK, better be safe than sorry. But a vaccination is not going to protect you against rabies once you are exposed. It takes time for antibodies to grow. If you were bitten by a rabid animal they would not vaccinate you they would give you the rabies shots as treatment.

I don't think you have any cause of action against your landlord for the cost of your shots. From what you posted neither you or your cats came into contact with the bat in a way that could have infected you and I don't see the necessity for the shots.

I know a lot about bats, rabies, and treatment. In the 1970's I did my independent studies at Princeton University on Microchiroptera (bats). I had to be vaccinated to work at the lab. No big deal. One shot and done.

But 30 years later I did have to get rabies shots because of exposure to a rabid bat. First day of treatment is not pleasant because of the rabies immune globulin shot into your butt. After that, the rest of the shots are just like any other shot in the arm. The cost of that treatment was around $3,800 in a hospital ER 4 times. My health insurance covered the cost and my deductible was paid for by the person that was responsible for the whole incident.

[gail in georgia]

$200 to get two cats a rabies vaccination? Holy shit; where did you get this done? Around here it's under $20 per vaccination and that includes the vet visit (and most local Tractor Supply places hold regular vaccination clinics if one can't get to a vet).

Take the suggestion to duct tape the vent. Keep contacting the landlord regarding the bat issue but keep in mind that in some states bats are now considered a protected species and they can't be euthanized in these type of situations but only trapped for release elsewhere.

Gail

[llworking]

$200 to get two cats a rabies vaccination? Holy shit; where did you get this done? Around here it's under $20 per vaccination and that includes the vet visit (and most local Tractor Supply places hold regular vaccination clinics if one can't get to a vet).

Take the suggestion to duct tape the vent. Keep contacting the landlord regarding the bat issue but keep in mind that in some states bats are now considered a protected species and they can't be euthanized in these type of situations but only trapped for release elsewhere.

Gail

Wow...that is a new one. When did state governments start considering bats to be a protect species?

[free9man]

Wow...that is a new one. When did state governments start considering bats to be a protect species?

I can't speak for other states but bats in Georgia are deemed to be protected under O.C.G.A. 27-1-28. It's not a protection specific to bats but they fall under it's umbrella.

A quick check of Wisconsin's official DNR site indicates they are protected there as well.

[Harold99]

This is another typical thread derailed and terminated by Jack.

OP comes here at 6:41am and asks for help. Jacks wakes up at 8:00am on the wrong side of the bed again and tells the OP he lives in a sh!thole. OP comes back at 9:45am that same day, reads Jacks condescending, unhelpful post, and never comes back.

So please tell, who is the frontline troll who chases OP’s away? Should be pretty obvious.

PS. Hey Jack, if you are too cheap to pay a plumber $225 to sweat in a new supply line gate valve, let's see some pictures of your house?

[limpbiskit]

This is another typical thread derailed and terminated by Jack.

OP comes here at 6:41am and asks for help. Jacks wakes up at 8:00am on the wrong side of the bed again and tells the OP he lives in a sh!thole. OP comes back at 9:45am that same day, reads Jacks condescending, unhelpful post, and never comes back.

So please tell, who is the frontline troll who chases OP’s away? Should be pretty obvious.

PS. Hey Jack, if you are too cheap to pay a plumber $225 to sweat in a new supply line gate valve, let's see some pictures of your house?

Wow this is so right on the money! I thought my post was stupid or something because of his/her just rude comment. Its not a shithole or a slum its just old

The cats were bit by the bat so it was recommended to get them vaccinated, 50$ each.

My vaccination cost just came back at 10,500$ before insurance.

There is an alarming amount of misinformation about rabies on this simple post, that is not what this was about.

But a vaccination is not going to protect you against rabies once you are exposed. It takes time for antibodies to grow. If you were bitten by a rabid animal they would not vaccinate you they would give you the rabies shots as treatment.

This is completely wrong. They now inject you with live antibodies as well as the vaccination. The antibodies is what costs so much.



The landlord fixed the problem, crazy fluke with the rabies. And life goes on Thanks for the help!