"Bat bites can be small and go unnoticed so anyone who wakes up to find a bat in their room or a bat near a sleeping child, person or pet should treat it as an exposure and contact their local animal control. Don't release the bat into the wild so it can be collected and tested for rabies."
""Bats are vital to our environment, but they can also carry rabies, a disease that is almost always fatal once symptoms appear," Muntu Davis, Los Angeles County health officer, said in the release. "Anyone who may have had contact with a bat should immediately speak with their medical provider or contact Public Health." People have been advised to immediately report to Animal Control any bat found inside, or outdoors if the bat appears sick, active during the day, unable to fly or dead."
Los Angeles County has confirmed 61 rabid bats so far in 2025, the second-highest total after 2021's 68 cases. Health officials emphasize that rabies is almost always fatal once symptoms appear and urge anyone who may have had contact with a bat to contact a medical provider or Public Health immediately. Residents should report any bat found inside or any bat that appears sick, active during the day, unable to fly, or dead to Animal Control. Bat exposure occurs when saliva or tissue enters the body via a scratch, bite, or contact with the mouth, nose, eyes, or a wound. Santa Clarita Valley has recorded the most rabid bats, with Canyon Bat species predominant, and Veterinary Public Health is conducting outreach to increase awareness and reporting. People are advised never to touch bats or allow pets to interact with them.
Read at Los Angeles Times
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