The Santa Clarita Valley is once again the leader in rabid bats with two of seven rabid bats detected in Los Angeles County this year.

Roughly half of the rabid bats identified in Los Angeles County over the past five years have been found in the SCV, even though the SCV sports less than 3 percent of the county’s human population.

Bats are the most common animals to carry rabies in Los Angeles County but fewer than 1 percent of bats are infected with rabies, county health officials say.

Most bats are not rabid and avoid contact with people and their pets, according to the website. Bats are good for the environment because they eat insects and they pollinate plants. They are also protected by law.

Bats seen flying in daylight or on the ground are more likely to have rabies, according to the website. Officials warn to never touch a bat or other wild animal to avoid contracting rabies.

Year-to-date through April 15, 2015

If bitten, the bite mark from a bat can be very small and hard to see.

Anyone who comes in contact with a bat should be tested for rabies.

Bats found indoors near a sleeping person, young child, adult that cannot speak or pet should also be tested for rabies, according to the website. Try to gently trap the bat without touching it (such as covering it with a bucket), and call your local animal control agency.

The nearest animal control agency in the Santa Clarita Valley is the Castaic Animal Shelter. They can be reached at (818) 367-8065.

Reported rabid bats in 2015, according to officials with the Los Angeles County Veterinary Public Health:

1. Sierra Madre. January. Bat found alive under a tree and behind a fence in secluded area of a business.

2. Santa Clarita (Saugus). March. Dog carrying live bat it around in its mouth in yard. The dog’s rabies vaccination was up-to-date. The dog received a booster vaccination, and will be monitored for rabies for 30 days.

3. Bell Gardens. March. Bat found alive hanging from eaves of a home.

4. Los Angeles (Brentwood area). March. Bat found alive on ground in front yard. Vaccinated dogs in yard with bat will be observed for rabies for 30 days.

5. Calabasas. March. Bat found in isolated area on second floor of an office complex.

6. Palmdale. April. Bat found in outdoor patio area at a school. Children were indoors at the time, away from bat.

7 Santa Clarita (Newhall). April. Bat found in bushes in front yard of a home.