Target: Kerry Kernen, Health Director of Lincoln–Lancaster County, Nebraska
Goal: Impose meaningful penalties and strict enforcement against anyone who releases bats before testing or fails to vaccinate pets, putting animals and families at risk during a documented rabies surge.
Lincoln Animal Control responded to hundreds of bat calls this year, with multiple bats testing positive for rabies. During these encounters, officials have warned that releasing a bat before it can be tested may force exposed people into painful and costly rabies treatment and can apparently leave pets vulnerable if they are not vaccinated. This situation, as reported by local authorities, underscores an urgent problem: preventable lapses that can jeopardize animal welfare and public safety.
Rabies is almost always fatal once symptoms appear, and yet some community members reportedly still let captured bats go before testing, or neglect legally required pet vaccinations. Such actions endanger dogs and cats who could then suffer or be euthanized after potential exposure. They also place wildlife at risk when fear-based responses lead to mishandling. In this climate, stronger accountability is critical.
Public health guidance alone is not enough if violations go unaddressed. To protect animals and people, the health department should reportedly treat improper bat handling and failure to vaccinate pets as serious animal-welfare and public-safety issues. This petition urges decisive enforcement—backed by fines, mandatory education, and, when appropriate, criminal referrals—so that animals are safeguarded and humane, lawful protocols are consistently followed.
PETITION LETTER:
Dear Director Kernen,
We are deeply concerned by reports of increasing bat encounters and confirmed rabies cases in the community. When individuals release bats before testing or fail to maintain rabies vaccinations for their pets, they put animals and families at risk. These actions can apparently force exposed people into post-exposure treatment, leave pets vulnerable to fatal disease, and undermine humane response protocols designed to protect both animals and the public.
We respectfully urge your office to prioritize robust enforcement. Specifically, please investigate alleged incidents of improper bat handling and vaccination noncompliance; issue meaningful penalties where violations are substantiated; and require corrective education for offenders. Clear, consistent consequences—paired with transparent public reporting—will reportedly deter neglectful behavior and promote compassionate, lawful handling of wildlife.
We also ask that your department coordinate with animal control to expand community outreach on safe bat response, humane containment until testing, and timely pet vaccinations. By enforcing existing rules and addressing alleged violations swiftly, Lincoln–Lancaster County can better protect companion animals, wildlife, and the people who care about them.
Sincerely,
[Your Name Here]
Photo credit: Andy Morffew
