Here is the article content summarized and humanized into six paragraphs, written in a conversational tone to help readers connect with the story on a personal level.
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Imagine it’s a warm July night in the Twin Cities. You hear a strange rustling in the attic, or maybe your dog starts barking at something fluttering near the porch light. You call a pest control company — someone like ASAP Wildlife Services — because you want the problem handled quickly and safely. You trust them to do the right thing, especially when a bat is involved, because everyone knows bats can carry rabies. The company comes out, removes the animal, and maybe even tells you, “Don’t worry, we’ll get it tested.” That one sentence means everything. It means you can sleep at night without panicking about a hidden bite or a trip to the emergency room. But what if that reassurance was hollow? This is the frightening situation now facing customers of ASAP Wildlife Services, a Minnesota pest control company owned by Louis Monette. The Minnesota Department of Health (MDH) has issued a public alert stating that the company has not consistently submitted bats for rabies testing — a critical step whenever a bat has come into contact with people. And according to the health department, at least one customer was told they had received negative rabies results from a laboratory that doesn’t actually test animals for rabies at all. That is not just a paperwork problem; it creates dangerous uncertainty in a situation where rabies is a matter of life and death.
Let’s slow down and unpack what we actually know, because stories like this can feel overwhelming. The MDH says it has tried to reach out to ASAP Wildlife Services, but the business has not been responsive to state outreach. In a statement sent Wednesday, the health department made it clear that the company’s failure to follow standard procedure may have left people unknowingly exposed to a potentially fatal virus. When FOX 9 reporter Corin Hoggard tracked down Louis Monette on Facebook, Monette seemed genuinely surprised by the allegations. He insisted that whenever customers asked him to test bats, he did so — or at least tested bats showing signs of rabies or contamination. However, when pressed about telling one customer that a bat had tested negative at a lab that does not perform animal rabies testing, Monette’s answer shifted. He called it “a misunderstanding” and then promptly shut down his Facebook page. That response doesn’t offer much comfort. In fact, it raises more questions than answers. Did any bats fall through the cracks? Did other customers receive false reassurances? The MDH is still working to determine exactly how many people may have been affected and whether the actual risk is greater than currently known. For the people who hired this company, the emotional whiplash is severe. One day you think you’re safe. The next day you’re wondering whether you need to re-evaluate everything that happened in your own home.
Why is all of this testing such a big deal? It’s not just about protocol or liability. It’s about a disease that is nearly always fatal once symptoms appear. Dr. Ron Moen, a biologist with the Natural Resources Research Institute who has studied bats for decades, put it plainly: “There really is, to my knowledge, no way that you can definitively know a bat has rabies unless you submit it for testing.” In other words, you can’t look at a bat and tell if it’s infected. It might act oddly, it might seem perfectly normal, and still carry the virus. Rabies testing of bats is how health officials decide whether someone needs post-exposure prophylaxis — the series of shots that saves lives. Without the shots, a bite from an infected bat can lead to a horrifying death, usually once neurological symptoms begin. The shots themselves are not what they used to be. Old stories about painful injections in the stomach are mostly outdated, but the process is still urgent, and it’s still a serious medical ordeal that people would rather avoid if unnecessary. The entire point of testing the bat is to spare people from unnecessary treatments if the animal is clean, or to make sure they get life-saving care immediately if it is not. When a company fails to submit the animal for testing, it steals that clarity. Families are left in limbo, forced to weigh the risk of a fatal disease against the cost, anxiety, and inconvenience of medical treatment. In that space, no one should have to make a guess. That’s why the MDH is treating this as a public health matter, not just a consumer complaint.
At the same time, it’s worth remembering that bats are not the enemy. They are remarkable creatures. Minnesota is home to eight commonly found species of bats, and they do a tremendous amount of good. They eat thousands of insects every night, including mosquitoes and agricultural pests, which makes them invaluable to both our comfort and our food supply. Dr. Moen, who has spent decades studying them, says people should appreciate bats for the role they play in the ecosystem — but should also respect the boundaries of physical contact. The peak season for bats flying around Minnesota is just wrapping up, which is part of why this news is so timely. Young bats are born in the summer, and they usually start flying in late July and early August. That surge of new, inexperienced fliers can bring more bats into homes and buildings, often by accident. While Moen notes that only about 4% of captured bats actually carry rabies, the consequences are so severe that even a low-risk encounter is not worth brushing off. The presence of a bat in your bedroom, especially while you are sleeping, is a legitimate reason to get help and get testing. The problem is that you need to know the help you hire is actually doing its job. Bats are wonderful wild neighbors, but they are not pets, and their random sweeps through living spaces should never be treated casually.
So what should you do if you suspect you were affected? The Minnesota Department of Health is asking anyone who used ASAP Wildlife Services since last September to call them directly at (651) 201-5368. They want to assess whether you might have been exposed to rabies and help you figure out what to do next. This is not a time to feel embarrassed or to worry that you’re bothering anyone. Health officials are not trying to judge you; they are trying to protect you. If you hired this company to remove a bat, especially if you had direct contact with the bat or woke up in a room with one, you deserve to know whether that bat was tested and what the results actually mean. The MDH has the expertise and the resources to help you navigate the next steps, whether that means reviewing records, coordinating new testing, or recommending you see a doctor. You don’t have to handle this alone. And even if you didn’t use the company yourself, it’s a good idea to pass this information along to friends, neighbors, or family members who might have hired a pest control service in the past year. Just seeing the news might not reach everyone — especially the elderly, people without easy internet access, or renters who may not have been directly involved in hiring the company. Word of mouth is a powerful public health tool, and a simple phone call could make all the difference for someone who is currently sitting in uncertainty without even knowing it.
In the end, this whole ordeal is a reminder that trust in professional services is important, but so is vigilance. We hire pest control companies to make our homes safer, and most of them do good work. But when shortcuts are taken, the consequences can ripple through families, neighborhoods, and lives in ways that aren’t immediately visible. Louis Monette may have brushed off the allegations as a misunderstanding, but the health department’s concern is real and ongoing. As investigators work to figure out the full scope of the problem, the most important thing is that people get the information and medical guidance they need. If you used ASAP Wildlife Services, pick up the phone and call. It costs nothing but a few minutes of your time, and it could give you peace of mind — or, if necessary, put you on the path to treatment that could save your life. Rabies is a terrifying disease, but it is preventable. The most dangerous thing right now is not the bats flying around Minnesota. It’s the silence and uncertainty created by a company that apparently failed to do what was promised. Don’t let that silence decide your future. Reach out, ask questions, and take care of yourself and your family. In moments like this, our best defense is each other — and a shared willingness to face the situation head-on, even when it’s awkward or uncomfortable. Health officials are ready to help. Make the call.