The answer to this question really depends on what you mean by wildlife rehabilitators. In the actual sense of the word, a rehabilitator is someone who will take an injured or sick animal, nurse it back to health (if possible), and then release that animal back into the wild again. These rehabilitators will need to have rather specific knowledge in the field of bats to be able to do this job, and in some states, permits must be acquired before they can handle any bats, let alone think of releasing them.



When you're not talking about wildlife rehabilitators, but wildlife or bat removal experts instead, you're talking about a person who will charge you a fee to come in and deal with the animal in whatever way the law suggests, whilst taking the care of the animal into consideration. In some states, bats must be destroyed. This is usually where rabies is a big problem, and where bats are the main carrier or transmitter of the virus.

In other states, bats can be released, but only in very specific places. It is actually quite rare for a removal expert to look at trapping bats, and the law might actually work against this method. Exclusion is the usual approach, and it's one that works for many reasons. To start with, exclusion means that the removal expert doesn't need to get too “hands-on” with the problem. No touching of bats will need to happen, and certainly no trapping of bats. Exclusion requires a device that allows just one-way movement, preferably in the direction out of your property. Because of the design of the device, once the bats are out they are then rendered totally incapable of getting back in again. This forces the animal to find another roost, but without actually having to intervene too much. It's like natural forcing if ever such a thing were to exist.

Before you hire a wildlife rehabilitator or bat removal expert, ask a few questions to determine whether or not you're hiring the right person for the job. In almost all states, bat removal must be performed by a professional who holds a permit or license for that specific job. If you wish to know what happens to the animal afterwards (with exclusion, the outcome is quite self-explanatory), you could ask. They'll be more than happy to tell you the process they plan to work through.

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