Two more rabid bats turned up in the Santa Clarita Valley in late July and early August, bringing the SCV’s total for the year thus far to 7.

Eighteen have been identified throughout Los Angeles County during 2013, so the SCV has seen 39 percent of all rabid bats to date – despite having less than 3 percent of the county’s population of humans.

The sixth bat was found in the same location as the fifth bat, which was found earlier in July in a Santa Clarita driveway, weak but alive. Details about bat No. 7 are pending. (UPDATE: The SCV’s seventh bat was found alive in driveway. The resident covered it with a bucket and called Animal Control – which was exactly the right thing to do.)

The SCV has seen a disproportionately large share of rabies cases the last three years.

Rabies – almost always seen in bats – has been on the rise since 2010, and county health officials don’t know why. In a “normal” year, just eight to 10 rabid bats are identified county-wide. Records have been kept since the 1960s.

Bats are the most common carriers of rabies, but most bats don’t have rabies. Fewer than 1 percent do. Healthy bats fly at night and try to avoid humans and pets.

If you see a bat flying during the daytime, or attacking the family dog or its food bowl, or flopping around on the ground, or dead, there’s probably something wrong with it. Don’t touch it, and do call Animal Control. If you think you’ve been bitten – the bite marks are small and it’s hard to tell – call 9-1-1.