PONCHATOULA - Ponchatoula Junior High School parents are raising concerns about a bat infestation on campus.

Teachers told WBRZ that there was a foul-smelling odor from the bats and the sound of bat squeaks in the walls. Tangipahoa Parish School Board member Joey Piazza said the problem has been dealt with.

“We live in south Louisiana, bats are common, especially in very big buildings, commercial buildings, old buildings that have crevices and dark spots that people don’t travel day to day,” Piazza said. “Immediately, administration took action to hire a wildlife specialist to come in and assess the situation."

Since mitigation efforts over the weekend, all bats have been removed. Piazza says any 'foul' smell that may linger is from fumigation that happened Monday, which took away the risk of bat excrements causing health problems for anyone at the school.

School officials said the infestation was "not bad" and was handled as soon as they received the call.