Rabid animal control method

A method is disclosed for luring attack-prone, rabies-infected mammals (e.g., carnivores, bats) into restraint and/or euthanasia but not luring normal, uninfected animals.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION Basically, any of a variety of or combination of sounds (which may include high frequency sounds inaudible to man, etc.), with or without additional sensory stimuli, is/are used to attract the attention of and thus incite rabid animals (e.g., carnivores or bats) to attack the sound source, which is positioned so that the attacking animal will be restrained and/or euthanized during its effort to attack. Whereas the use of sensory stimuli, especially sound, to attract specifically rabid animals, comprises this invention, any of many known and existing restraint and/or destruction systems and devices may be used for actual trapping or destruction of the rabid animal. Combined with sound sources to lure rabid animals, example well-known traps for bats and for carnivores follow. Bats are sometimes captured in a “harp trap”, such as the one illustrated in FIGS. 1 and 2 , after the trap is placed where bats normally fly, such as in cave entrances. The flying bats encounter vertically-stretched wires (or plastic lines) 5 , of too small a diameter for the bats to detect with their echolocation sonar systems, and they slide down the wires through a smooth-sided hopper 7 , over which they cannot crawl upward to escape, and thence downward into a holding cage or euthanizing receptacle 8 . In order to attract and capture specifically rabid bats, a sound source (e.g., a battery-operated smoke alarm in this example) 9 has been attached to the “harp trap” and positioned behind the wires to attract attack-prone rabid bats, which are captured as they try to attack the sound source. Combined with any effective sound lure, the hopper and cage alone or even a smooth-sided bucket or similar container or sticky, adhesive material could be utilized in restraining and/or euthanizing rabid bats, though less effectively. Carnivores, such as dogs, cats, skunks, or foxes, are routinely captured unharmed in “live traps”, such as the one illustrated in FIGS. 3 and 4 , by placing a bait (food, scent, etc.) deep in the boxlike interior. The animal enters through the door opening 10 , proceeding inward toward the bait, and in so doing trips any of a variety of releases 11 whereupon the door 12 closes, trapping the animal inside. In order to attract and restrain specifically rabid animals, the foregoing bait is replaced by a sound source, in this example housed within a protective cover (e.g., a metal bowl) 13 , positioned on the outside of the deep end mesh wall 14 of the trap. Sound is directed through the mesh 14 continuing through the trap outward through the open door. As a rabid animal enters the trap and tries to attack the sound source, it trips the release 11 , whereupon the door 12 closes behind it. While certain preferred embodiments of the invention have been specifically disclosed, it should be understood that the invention is not limited thereto as many variations will be readily apparent to those skilled in the art, and the invention is to be given its broadest possible interpretation within the terms of the following claims.