SPRINGVILLE — A man in this Utah County city will have to undergo rabies treatment after a bat bit him Sunday, police said.

Police agencies, meanwhile, are using this incident to remind people to avoid sick bats and to get their pets vaccinated.

The man was working in his garden when he felt something bite his finger, said Lt. David Caron of Springville Police Department. The man pulled his hand out of the grass and found a small bat dangling from his hand. The bat tested positive for rabies, and the man will have to undergo treatment, Caron said.

Caron said bats found on the ground are probably very sick and should be avoided. If people should find any, they should contact their local police department and report the incident to the animal control officer.

Caron also said pet owners should make sure their pets are vaccinated because dogs or cats playing with a sick bat can easily be exposed to any sickness the bat is carrying.