The victim of the bat attack hopes that others will learn from his horrible ordeal

SUN CITY CENTER, Fla (WFLA) – Patti Andrews is still I do not know how it happened. On Monday, a rabid bat is hanging on to her in the bathroom of the independent living apartment that she shares with a friend at Sun City Center. "I screamed, I said it was a bat, ahhhh," Andrews said. "(And then I dropped it."

She believes that she unconsciously brought the pest to the home of a parking lot on Upper Creek Drive, a few miles from her She was helping her friend get in the car after an appointment when she felt something hit her shoulder … She was not sure what it was. "I did not know if that was going to happen. "It was a bird, or whatever," said Andrews. "But it did strike me a bit." The rear window of her car was partially open and she thought the bat in question had entered. she went home, she brought her belongings inside her car, and probably, the bat was there

she hit the bat to the ground, she immediately knew what "I mean, I was really upset when that happened because I knew the consequences of that," And said. rews. "And I knew I needed to have the bat tested."

She called Hillsborough County Pet Resources to test the bat and she went to see her doctor, who was there. 39, immediately sent to the emergency room. Once she informed the Florida Department of Health in Hillsborough County of what happened, a representative told her to go to the vaccination clinic as soon as possible. She had planned to leave the day after the incident, but instead, she went that day

The bat was tested positive for rabies

Courtney Lemay is the only one in the world. expert in rabies in Hillsborough County. It is unusual to involve rabid bats in broad daylight, but other cases involving rabid animals are not. "There is a level of rage in our community, we've seen it, it's our seventh case this year," Lemay said. "There will always be a level of rabies, especially among our four most dangerous animals: bats, raccoons, foxes and stray cats."

Andrews tells the story of his survival. . Knowing rabid animals and knowing what to do after a chance interaction can make the difference between living and dying. "Get help right now, you need it right now," Andrews said. "You do not have to wait."