Amy Carter, Weber-Morgan’s communicable disease nurse, told the Standard-Examiner that the department initiates the testing of roughly 15-20 bats each year on average following reports of potential exposures or animals exhibiting strange behavior. This is the first report of a bat returning a positive test result statewide for 2025.

“The majority of our bats are healthy and we’re not going to come across them,” Carter said. “But we have a higher likelihood of coming into contact with that 2 or 3% (that may be carrying the virus) because they’re ill and they’re not exhibiting their normal behaviors.

“Bats are typically a nocturnal animal. So, they’re going to stay hidden away during the daylight hours and then they’re going to come out at nighttime to feed. … But when you have a bat with rabies, that bat might not follow that normal nocturnal schedule.”

Warming temperatures also bring increased opportunity for people or pets to come into contact with animals carrying the virus.

Although human exposure is relatively rare, the rabies virus — which affects the brain and central nervous system — is fatal if not addressed properly through pre-exposure vaccination for pets and post-exposure treatment for individuals. The virus spreads to humans and pets through exposure to the saliva of an infected animal.

In Utah, bats are the most common carriers of the rabies virus. However, skunks, raccoons, foxes and unvaccinated cats and dogs can also carry the disease.

“When we have bad exposures or even dog or cat bites or things like that — any kind of animal exposures where there might be that potential for rabies — we have some pretty specific guidelines and recommendations that we follow to either be able to confidently rule out any rabies exposure or follow up appropriately, depending on the situation, to get people or pets protected,” Carter said.

The department issued the following recommendations following the rabies-positive test result:

• Keep pets’ vaccinations up-to-date. Check pets’ vaccination status with your veterinarian and put your records where you can access them quickly.
• Stay away from wild animals. Call your local animal control for assistance if an animal appears to be sick or injured or is acting strangely.
• Act quickly if you are bitten or scratched by a bat or other wild animal. Immediately wash the wound with soap and water, then see your health care provider. If possible/where applicable, safely contain the bat and contact the Utah Division of Wildlife Services so it can be tested for rabies.
• Report any interactions with a bat found in a sleeping area. Any exposure to a bat in a sleeping area is considered an exposure due to their ability to spread the virus through extremely small bites or scratches.

“For your pets, rabies is preventable. It’s so easy,” Carter said. “All it takes is you getting your dogs, your cats or even your ferrets vaccinated with the rabies vaccine. It’s important. … Usually, for less than $50 and a quick trip to either your local vet or even an animal control event or, sometimes, they have vaccine clinics at pet stores, you can take your pet in. You can get them an easy, quick vaccine that is very safe to them but very effective.”

For more information about bats, other animals and rabies, or what to do in the case of a possible exposure, visit the Utah Department of Health and Human Services website at https://epi.utah.gov/rabies/, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention website at https://cdc.gov/rabies/ or call your local health department.

Local phone contacts for reporting biting incidents, stray animals or other wildlife include the Weber-Morgan Health Department at 801-399-7250, the Utah Division of Wildlife Resources at 801-476-2740 or your local animal control agency or local dispatch.