The exterior of a home on Dominion Street that is subject to an unsightly property order due to bats and other issues. A neighbour says the bats are making it so his family can't enjoy their home.

By Charles Lefebvre

Unsightly property order issued for home with bat infestation

Jul 22, 2019 | 5:27 PM

MEDICINE HAT, AB — A Medicine Hat couple says they cannot enjoy their home due to bats.

Matthew and Miranda Broadist live next door to a home which has been vacant for years, and currently is infested by bats.

When they bought their home seven years ago, Matthew called it a dream home.

“It was our house, it was the house we wanted, we loved it,” he said. “We’ve had it for seven years, and now, we didn’t have that issue when we moved in, and now this has become quite an issue over the seven years.”

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The couple says over the years, the number of bats in the home next to theirs has grown, and every day, before their children can play outside, they have to scrub down surfaces to ensure there is no bat waste.

“You’ve got to make sure the trampoline is cleaned off, and then you have to disinfect it and the barbecue or anything else that’s been touched or hit, the side of the house, the side of the garage,” he said. “And that’s only what you can see.”

On July 13, a 21-year-old man from Vancouver died from rabies he contracted after coming into contact with a bat two months earlier.

Fear of contracting the disease has kept the family indoors during the summer.

“We can’t be in the yard during dawn and dusk,” he said. “There’s fear the kids or the animals will get bit. it’s put quite a strain on our relationship right now as well, which is prevalent.”

He added “It’s just at a point where it’s pure frustration.”

Medicine Hat bylaw issued an unsightly property order on Friday for the home next door, citing the bats, overgrown grass and weeds and an inoperable vehicle in the yard.

“After speaking with the neighbouring property and some of the circumstances in their home, I believe it does affect their life a great deal, and I want to do everything I can to make things better,” said Bylaw superintendent Heather Trail.

The owners of the property have 14 days to file an appeal to the order, and have until August 21 to remedy the issues.

“If they don’t, then there will be a little more legal process to go through, and then inevitably, if we need to, the city can take action and take care of the property and deal with the bats,” said Trail.

Trail says since the order was issued, the owner of the property has not been in contact with bylaw.

Matthew is hoping this latest order will help resolve the problem.

“(I want) the bats moved, relocated, and I guess the property cleaned up so the bats can’t come back more than anything,” he said. “Just sealed up so the bats can’t come back and re-habit.”