Bat Removal Grand Prairie, TX

Grand Prairie contacts

• Grand Prairie Animal Services: Prairie Paws Adoption Center, 2222 W. Warrior Trail. Phone 972-237-8575, staffed Monday through Friday, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m., or email animaldispatch@gptx.org. For emergencies at any hour, the city says to call 911.
• Wildlife rehabilitation: the city refers residents to DFW Wildlife (972-234-9453) and TPWD's list of permitted rehabilitators for injured or orphaned wildlife.
• County health: for the Dallas County part of the city, Dallas County Health and Human Services handles rabies exposure questions at (214) 819-2004.

The city says it doesn't trap large wildlife. Bats in a structure are a job for a private exclusion company.

What the city says about sealing your house

Grand Prairie's wildlife page gives homeowners specific advice that applies to bats:

• Cover crawlspace and attic openings with heavy-gauge, rustproof wire mesh, not chicken wire.
• Inspect eaves and other places where the roof and house join, and repair deteriorating boards, warped siding and loose shingles.
• Cap chimneys.
• Don't use mothballs or ammonia as deterrents.

For bats there's one more rule: don't seal an opening until the bats are out. One-way exclusion devices come first, and permanent sealing comes after.

Bat testing in Grand Prairie's counties

DSHS's 2024 county summary shows 41 Dallas County bats tested, all negative, and 21 Tarrant County bats tested, 3 of them positive. Treat any bat that touched a person or pet as a possible exposure.

Grand Prairie housing

About 30% of Grand Prairie's 71,787 housing units were built before 1980, and about 18% in 2010 or later. That leaves a large stock of 1980s and 1990s brick homes. On those, bats get in at fascia gaps above the brick line, worn soffit vents, and gaps where garage roofs meet the main roof.

Timing

At the Arlington Municipal Airport station, about 5 miles away, average lows stay at 50°F or warmer from April through October. TPWD discourages exclusion from May 1 to August 15, so mid-August through October is the main window.

Grand Prairie housing and climate snapshot (Arlington Municipal Airport climate)

• Housing units: 71,787 (median year built 1993)
• Built before 1980: 30%; built 2010 or later: 18%
• Single-family detached: 61%; buildings with 10+ units: 18%
• Renter-occupied homes: 39%
• Average January low: 37°F; average August high: 96°F
• Months with an average low of 50°F or warmer: Apr–Oct

Housing figures: U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 2024 1-year estimates (tables B25024, B25034, B25035, B25003) via Census Reporter. Climate: NOAA 1991–2020 normals, Arlington Muni Ap station.

Common questions

Nearby city guides

• Arlington
• Irving
• Dallas
• Duncanville
• Fort Worth

Sources

1. City of Grand Prairie: Wildlife
2. City of Grand Prairie: Animal Services hours and contact
3. Texas DSHS: Dallas County disease reporting contacts
4. Texas DSHS: 2024 rabies summary by county (PDF)
5. Mammals of Texas (TTU NSRL): Brazilian free-tailed bat
6. Mammals of Texas (TTU NSRL): big brown bat
7. Mammals of Texas (TTU NSRL): evening bat
8. TPWD Outdoor Annual: nongame and other species (bats)
9. Texas DSHS: bat exposure scenarios and capture tips
10. Census Reporter: Grand Prairie ACS 2024 profile
11. NOAA NCEI 1991–2020 monthly normals (Arlington Muni Ap)