1. Get the details

It's really important to take the address where the bat was found. Its roost is probably somewhere in that area, and it should be released there if possible when it recovers. We also recommend getting as much detail as possible about how the bat was found and what may have happened to it. This will help with its treatment.

Maggie Brown of the West Yorkshire Bat Hospital has developed an excellent Bat Rescue Register that you can use during intake and initial assessment. This guides you through recording all the information you're likely to need.

2. Get the guidance

BCT's Bat Care Guidelines are available as a free PDF download and contain all the information you need to assess and look after the bat in the short term.

Our bat care resources section lists some additional handbooks that you might want to obtain for your practice. You might also be interested in our Bat Care Co-Ordinator's article, "Seeing Wild Bats in Practice," on p. 59 of the November/December 2019 issue of Veterinary Practice Today.

3. Get help

Please phone the National Bat Helpline on 0345 1300 228 for details of independent volunteers in your area who may be able to help you with the bat or take over its care. If our phone lines are closed, you can visit this page for details of selected regional helplines and wildlife hospitals.

The Bat Conservation Trust receives no public funding for the advice and support the National Bat Helpline gives to vet surgeries. We rely entirely on donations to keep helping veterinary professionals. If you can, please donate via our bat care JustGiving page at https://www.justgiving.com/campaign/batcarehelp , or email fundraise@bats.org.uk to learn about other ways to give.