rabies Alert: L.A. County Records Second-Highest Number of Rabid Bats
Los Angeles County health officials are urging caution as the region experiences a surge in rabid bat cases. To date in 2025, the Los Angeles County Department of Public Health has confirmed 61 rabid bats, marking the second-highest total ever recorded, surpassed only by the 68 cases found in 2021.
“Bats are vital to our habitat, but they can also carry rabies, a disease that is almost always fatal once symptoms appear,” stated Muntu Davis, Los Angeles county health officer, in a recent department news release. “Anyone who may have had contact with a bat should promptly speak with their medical provider or contact public health.”
Residents are advised to immediately report any bat found indoors, or any bat exhibiting signs of illness outdoors – including being unable to fly, active during the day, or found deceased – to Animal Control. Exposure to rabies occurs when saliva or tissue from a rabid bat enters the body through a bite,scratch,or contact with a wound,mouth,nose,or eyes.
Because bat bites can be small and easily overlooked, anyone who awakens to find a bat in their room, or near a sleeping person, child, or pet, should consider it a potential exposure and contact their local animal control. It is indeed crucial not to release the bat into the wild; it should be safely contained and collected for rabies testing.
The number of rabid bats typically peaks in late summer. In August 2024, 23 rabid bats were identified.The Santa Clarita Valley has been particularly affected, with Canyon Bat species representing the majority of confirmed cases.
The Veterinary Public Health division is actively working to raise public awareness and encourage reporting of potential exposures. Approximately 14% of bats that come into contact with people or pets in L.A. County test positive for rabies, a rate that increases to around 33% during late summer.
To protect yourself and your family, health officials reccommend the following:
* If you find a bat in your home, cover it with a box or container, especially if it’s near a sleeping person or pet. Call Animal Control for collection and do not release it.
* Seek immediate medical attention for rabies treatment if a bat cannot be tested or if it tests positive for the virus.
* Vaccinate your pets against rabies, as the disease is fatal to animals once symptoms develop.
* Be aware of the signs of illness in bats: those found on the ground, unable to fly, or active during the day may be sick.
The public is strongly advised to never touch a bat or allow pets to interact with them.