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PORTLAND, Ore.—Oregon Health Authority (OHA) and the Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife (ODFW) are urging people to prevent exposure to rabies while highlighting the importance of bats and other wildlife to the state’s ecosystems.
So far, 22 bats have tested positive for rabies in 2026, according to OHA data. That means the state has matched – and is poised to surpass – its record for the number of bats that test positive for rabies in a single year. Bats have carried the rabies virus in their populations for thousands of years and are well known to carry rabies today, but generally at a very low level. Nevertheless, they account for the most human exposures to the virus more than any other species in the U.S.
The highest number of animals testing positive for rabies since 2000 was in 2006, when 22 bats and two foxes were found to be carrying the disease. In 2023, 20 bats tested positive for the virus.
Emilio DeBess, DVM, public health veterinarian at OHA’s Public Health Division, said the more contact someone has with bats, the higher the risk of exposure to rabies.
“Unfortunately, when people find a dead or dying bat, they may pick it up with their hands because they want to help it, or maybe they’re just curious,” DeBess said. “When a bat or other wild animal is sick or dying with rabies, there’s an increased chance they will bite or transmit the virus in other ways.”
Colin Gillin, DVM, ODFW state wildlife veterinarian, agrees that bats and other wildlife rarely bite people but may do so if they are sick or feel threatened. Oregon bats, in particular, eat only insects—about 1,000 insects every hour—and avoid people.
“Bats provide important ecosystem services in Oregon, but also globally with insect control, seed dispersal, and pollination of specific plants, supporting agriculture and forest systems,” Gillin said. “And like many animals that can carry disease, bats can also prevent or suppress disease by reducing mosquitoes and other vectors that carry human and animal pathogens.”
What to do if you find a bat
Bats are protected wildlife, which makes it illegal to harm or keep them. If you see a bat that appears to be sick:
- Stay calm, do not touch it, and keep people and pets away.
- When the sick or dead bat is indoors, do not release the bat. It may have exposed someone or a pet to rabies. If it is safe to do so, place a container or box over the bat.
- When the sick or dead bat is outdoors and may have exposed someone to rabies, cover it with a box or bucket to keep it in place, if safe to do so. Finding a dead bat does not require any action unless someone was bitten or scratched before the bat died.
- Contact your local health authority or veterinarian for your area right away to discuss potential exposures to humans or pets.
- If there are multiple sick or dead bats observed in an area, report it to ODFW.
- When a person or pet has been bitten or scratched by an animal that may have rabies, report this exposure immediately to your local animal regulation services or local public health authority. Seek medical care immediately from a medical provider or veterinarian.
- Teach children to avoid all contact with bats and other wildlife.
- Avoid bats seen in the wild, such as while hiking.
- Make sure your dog or cats' vaccinations are up to date, whether they are indoor or outdoor pets.
- Unvaccinated pets that come into contact with a bat may be quarantined for up to four months, or euthanized.
- Protect your home from bats by covering vents, chimneys, and other entry points with screens.
If you have roosting (nesting) bats living in your attic or other areas of your house, call a wildlife control operator (WCO). ODFW is unable to respond to homeowner requests for bat removal.
Find additional information about rabies and bats at:
- OHA’s bats and rabies website
- ODFW’s bats website
- “Help Oregon's bats with a bat-friendly home” article (ODFW)
- Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s rabies website
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