Megan Lander | Student Life Editor
December 12, 2024
In a classroom at Bryant Middle School in Dos Palos, southern Merced County California, 60-year-old Leah Seneng, an art teacher, found a bat in her classroom before school. She wanted to release this wild animal safely back outside to keep herself and the students out of danger while not harming the bat. She carefully scooped it up and let it out. Later that day thinking nothing of the incident, she told her daughter this silly story.
On November 18, 2024, about a month after discovering the bat, Seneng came down with strong fever symptoms and violent shaking in her limbs. Naturally, she was hospitalized. The following day, her condition became worse and she was put in a medically induced coma. With no progress in the next four days, her family came to say their goodbyes. She was remembered by her school as “a dedicated and compassionate educator” and a “really great artist.” She will always be remembered, but why was her death so sudden?
Her friend, Laura Splotch, explained that when she picked up the bat, it might have bitten her or lightly scratched her without her knowledge. Unfortunately, it is not uncommon for wild animals like bats to carry infectious diseases. In 2020, our world faced a life-changing pandemic from the COVID-19 virus that stemmed from an infected bat in China. At this point, it is common knowledge to not come in contact with wild animals, let alone bats. Doctors confirmed that Seneng’s death was a result of her contracting rabies.
Rabies is contracted by direct contact with an infected animal through saliva and open tissues. Bats are not the only animals that can get the disease; our neighborhood creatures like raccoons, skunks, foxes, and squirrels can too. Being in close contact with a wild animal should be followed by swift hand-washing with soap and water and seeking medical attention if there is an open wound. These situations should not be taken lightly as the official Mayo Clinic states there is no “effective treatment” for rabies.
Junior Keira McKeon said she has “seen at least 4 raccoons in [her] backyard” in the last two weeks. These wild animals are everywhere and while it is nice to care for them, it is more important to stay away despite their cuteness. At school, senior Keira Toumi said she saw a “couple of squirrels hiding out by the trees in the Little Theater.” These animals are all around us and one lesson to learn from this story is to not come close to an unfamiliar animal.
The next time you think about feeding the cute squirrels or taking the raccoon out of your garbage bin, just remember to take a step back and leave the animal alone.
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