SAVANNAH, Ga. (WSAV) – A family of four is encountering an unusual problem — a bat infestation.
Almost 80 bats have invaded a home in the Ardsley Park neighborhood, with the Grant family refusing to go back after the Georgia Department of Public Health deemed the home an “immanent health risk” on Jan. 29.
“This has been so traumatizing,” said Monica Grant.
Isaiah and Monica Grant moved to their home on W. 51 St., which they are renting, from Chicago with their two young children, a toddler and an infant a year ago.
On Jan. 18, the couple says they saw the first bat in their home. After a few days, a few more trickled in. Then about a day later, they say they were swarmed by what appeared to be around 80 bats.
“Three bats come flying down the stairs as we’re sitting in our living room,” said Monica Grant, “They start coming through the vents. The kids were already asleep. We were like we’re done, we have to get out of here, something is wrong.”
With the Georgia Department of Public Health deeming the home unsafe, the Grant family has moved in with a neighbor, and have not slept another night in their home.
Now, they say they are trying to figure out their next steps.
“The home is not safe to live in, so the Grant family right now is trying to figure out where to live next, how to get our stuff out, what can be recovered, what’s safe, and where to go from there,” Isaiah Grant told News 3.
Property Management Company, based of out Richmond Hill, owns the home the Grants are renting. Owner Cathleen Barela tells News 3 that the company has been cooperative with the Grant family and has been in touch with Savannah Code Compliance.
“Code Compliance left a violation due to the pressure they were getting from the tenants,” said Barela, “but all and all that the bats needed to be removed from the property and that they are well aware of the fact that we are working to get that done.”
Barela also says all bats were removed last week, and that Property Management Company is working with multiple companies to get the house sanitized.
“We acted as any property manager would, and had it addressed based on when they reported it,” says Barela.
But the Grants say they are not in the clear. They tell News 3 they are now having to pay out of pocket for rabies shots for all four members of their family at the recommendation of the health department.
“There is no treatment for rabies. Either you get the vaccine or you die,” said Monica Grant.
“You have no manageable way of understanding if you’ve been bitten,” said Isaiah Grant, “and there is an off chance saliva gets in an open wound for the kids from crawling around or touching something.”
They set up a GoFundMe to help pay for medical bills and find a new place to live because they say they cannot go back to their Ardsley Park home.
“What are we supposed to do?” says Monica Grant “We have to protect not even just ourselves but our children. We came to Savannah because we loved it and were so excited. We were going to rent while we figure out where we live, and at this point, it’s been so awful. I can’t imagine staying at this point.”
Both the Grant family and Property Management Company say they are working with attorneys to figure out what to do next.
The Grants say they have not paid February’s rent while they are not living in the home, and have not yet been threatened with eviction.