Do you know what to do if you find a bat in your house?

Jul. 15, 2026

By Mary Wade Burnside

When it comes to bats and rabies, there is good news and bad news.
The good news: Most bats don’t have rabies, a virtually incurable viral disease that only infects mammals.
The bad: Because bats can bestow a tiny, difficult-to-see bite or scratch during the night, it is less likely that individuals will seek lifesaving postexposure prophylactic treatment if a bat encounter occurs.
Recently, a 2024 incident was publicized that highlighted a case in which an 11-year-old boy in Ontario, Canada died from rabies a few weeks after he awoke in a vacation cabin with a bat on his nose and mouth.
His father released the bat into the wild. The parents didn’t see any bites or scratches on the boy and did not seek medical attention for him.
Followers of Monongalia County Health Department’s social media and press releases probably already know that this wasn’t the right course of action.
“Bats in the home should be taken seriously,” said Jennifer Costolo-Michael, program manager for MCHD Environmental Health. “Rabies has been found in bats in Monongalia County over the years.”
Furthermore, she stated, a bat exposure can include contact with a bat, a bite or scratch or just finding one inside the home.
“You cannot see the bite or scratch because they are so minute.”
The case of the Canadian boy was described in the June 29, 2026 Canadian Medical Association Journal (CMAJ), which also stated that human rabies is “exceedingly” rare in Canada.
The boy began experiencing well-known rabies symptoms, including facial weakness and, eventually, hypersalivation, confusion, a fever and visual hallucinations.
The article also noted that the prompt administration of post-exposure prophylaxis for someone who has been in contact with rabies is nearly always effective.
Each year, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), 1.4 million Americans receive treatment for a possible rabies exposure, with 100,000 receiving post-exposure prophylaxis. Fewer than 10 die from rabies due to robust prevention efforts.
In West Virginia, these efforts also include a law that makes up-to-date rabies vaccines mandatory for dogs, cats and ferrets. There is also the oral rabies vaccine (ORV) bait program implemented by the United States Department of Agriculture’s Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS).
In late August, fixed-wing aircraft will drop ORV baits over parts of the East Coast, including 24 West Virginia counties. Monongalia, Preston, Marion and Harrison counties were among the locations where baits were dropped in 2025.
Around the same time, MCHD sanitarians will drop ORV baits in grassy areas around Morgantown, including parks and the rail-trail.
These baits are consumed by wildlife, usually in under a week, inoculating them from rabies. They only treat animals on the ground, such as raccoons and foxes.
“This has been a very effective method of combatting rabies in our area,” Costolo-Michael said.
Last year, according to a report on the USDA website, a total of 44,052 ORV baits were distributed in Monongalia County by aircraft and hand combined.
Homeowners can do their part by making sure their houses are sealed to prevent bats from finding their way in. Keeping tight lids on outdoor garbage cans also helps keep raccoons away.
In spite of these efforts, Monongalia County residents still have concerns about rabies. Our website offers information about rabies as well as contact information for different circumstances associated with a potential rabies exposure.
Sanitarians also field phone calls from people who are concerned about an animal encounter or a bat in the house.
“Calls regarding bats in homes are common,” Costolo-Michael said. “If you discover a bat in your home, we can send it away for testing, but it must be deceased.”
The individual collecting the bat should don gloves before attempting capture, Costolo-Michael added, and they should avoid damaging the brain because that is the organ that is tested. After the collection process is complete, hands should be washed thoroughly with soap and warm waterThe deceased bat should then be brought to the health department at 453 Van Voorhis Road in a sealed container.
“Rabies is an extremely serious disease. Without proper treatment, it is 99.9% fatal,” Costolo-Michael added.

Mary Wade Burnside is the public information officer at Monongalia County Health Department.