ALPENA, Mich. – A 50th high school reunion party turned into a nightmare for a group of women staying at a Michigan Airbnb, according to a new lawsuit.
The lawsuit filed by Marko Law on behalf of seven women claims the group rented an Airbnb in Alpena, Michigan last summer to celebrate their 50th high school reunion, where they were attacked by a “hoard” of bats.
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The lawsuit claims on the evening of July 26, 2023, on the third night of the multi-day stay, two women noticed something darting around their bedroom. They both screamed and ran into the hallway.
After a few minutes, more and more bats emerged, according to the complaint. The stairwell had been taken over by Michigan Brown Bats who had been living in the attic of the home, nicknamed “The Castle.”
The complaint says some of the women were bitten by bats, while others were struck by flying bats in the home. The women were instructed to undergo a series of rabies vaccinations, as a precaution.
The bats were active until dawn, according to the lawsuit.
The law firm said an exterminator was called, who quickly found a large colony of Michigan Brown Bats living in the attic with multiple inches of bat guano caking the floor. The exterminator also found bat urine running down the basement walls.
The lawsuit is alleging that Airbnb “negligently allowed the bat infested home to be advertised on its platform and that the homeowners and those in charge of maintenance had a responsibility to ensure that the home was safe when renting it.”
In response to the filing of the lawsuit, Airbnb told ClickOnDetroit they couldn’t comment on active litigation.
Michigan Brown Bats are found across the state, and are the most common bat species in the northern half of the Lower Peninsula in Michigan. According to MSU, upon emergence from hibernation they travel throughout the state and will set up maternity roosts in man-made structures, utilizing barns, houses, large buildings, and the underside of bridges. They also roost in tree hollows and under loose bark.
They are most active from April thru October.
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