Lecture about rabies in Los Angeles County 2011

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Note: Scroll to bottom of page for more information about bats and rabies and for a rabies map focused on Santa Clarita area.

In 2010, 22 rabid animals, all bats, were detected in Los Angeles County. In most years, only 8-10 rabid bats are discovered. Please scroll lower down to read about bats and rabies. (Note: The 5th and 6th bat were found close enough together that they look like one red star on the map).

 Four rabid bats this year had direct contact with family pets (2 dogs, 2 cats) this year.  Vaccinate your pets!

Circumstances of rabid bats found in 2010
1. In Van Nuys - 3/26/10. Bat hanging on a wall at a golf course in daylight.
2. In Castaic -  4/2/10. Bat clinging to side of house for 4 days before fell to ground.
3. In Canyon Country - 6/28/10. Bat hanging on side of one house for a day. Then flew to second house and hung there for a day. Then fell to ground, weak.
4. In Topanga - 7/12/10. Bat clinging to outside of screen on second story window of house in daylight.
5. In Stevenson Ranch -  7/23/10. Bat clinging to side of house, fell to ground next day.
6. In Newhall - 7/28/10. Bat near storage room and patio over 24 hours. Dog successfully was kept away from bat.
7. In Saugus - 7/30/10. Bat found on ground on cement patio, wings fluttering, could not fly. Dog successfully was kept away from bat.
8. In Calabasas - 8/9/10. Baby bat found in water heater closet (outdoors). Thin, dehydrated. One person directly exposed to bat.
9. In East Los Angeles - 8/12/10. Bat found flying around inside an office in courthouse.
10. In Burbank - 8/17/10.  Bat crash-landed into swimming pool. (Normally healthy bats swoop over water to get a drink without crashing).
11. In Northridge - 8/23/10. Bat found in daylight (early evening) clinging to stucco on side of house.
12. In Canyon Country -  8/31/10. Dog was carrying around live bat in mouth. Dog's rabies vaccine was boostered and dog to be quarantined and monitored for rabies at home for 30 days.
13. In Santa Clarita - 9/2/10. Resident saw animal flapping around on ground in back yard. Thought it was a bird at first. Watched it climb wall where it stopped and hung upside down.
14. In Chatsworth - 9/12/10. Dog was carrying around live bat in its mouth. Dog's rabies vaccine was boostered and dog to be quarantined and monitored for rabies at home for 30 days.
15. In Santa Clarita on 9/14/10. Bat found on sidewalk in front of store.
16. In Stevenson Ranch on 9/17/10. Bat found in morning on patio floor outside house - sat there for 24 hours, not moving.
17. In Santa Clarita on 9/17/10. Bat found in morning on patio floor outside house. Bat climbed screen and then stayed there for hours.
18. In Santa Clarita on 10/2/10. Found alive.
19. In Sherman Oaks. A cat had contact with a rabid bat.
20. In Encino on 10/3/10. Found dead on front porch.
21. In Santa Clarita on 11/5/10. Sick bat fell to ground in front of entrance to restaurant.
22. In Palmdale on 11/6/10. Sick bat found clinging to side of building in daylight.
 

Bats and Rabies.
Bats are the animals that most commonly carry rabies in our county. Most bats do not have rabies, and try to avoid contact with people and pets. Bats are good for the environment because they eat insects and pollinate plants. Bats are also protected by law.

Bats seen flying in daylight, or found on the ground, are more likely to have rabies. Never touch a bat or other wild animal. If you pick up a bat with your bare hands, you may be bitten and exposed to rabies.

Bats that bite a person or pet should be tested for rabies. The bite mark from a bat can be very small and hard to see. Bats that are found indoors near a sleeping person, young child, adult that cannot speak, or pet should also be tested for rabies.   In these cases, try to gently trap the bat without touching it (such as covering it with a bucket), and call your local animal control agency. To see a list of local animal control agencies, click here. You should also talk to your doctor and/or veterinarian in these situations.



Santa Clarita Area - Rabid Bats - 2010

In 2010, 11 out of 22 rabid bats were found in or near Santa Clarita.  The bats were found by residents outside on the ground, or clinging to the side of the house during daytime.  No people directly touched any of these bats, but one dog was playing with a rabid bat. 

Santa Clarita area residents should:
1. Keep your pets' rabies vaccines up-to-date.
2. Never touch or feed any wildlife.
3. Bats with rabies do not attack people, but like all wildlife they will bite if touched.
4. Know that most bats in nature do NOT carry rabies (fewer than 1 in 1000 bats).
5. Bats that are flying in daylight, sitting on the ground, or spending time near people and pets are not healthy - there is a 10% chance they could be rabid.
6. If you encounter a sick bat outside your home, do not touch it. Gently cover it with a box or bucket and call the animal shelter that covers the Santa Clarita area at: 661-257-3191.
7. If you wake to find a bat inside your home, or find a bat near your child or pet, it needs to be tested for rabies. Do not touch it or let it escape.  Instead cover it gently with a bucket or box and call LA County Animal Control: Santa Clarita area at: 661-257-3191.

Links about rabies
Centers for Disease Control - Rabies pages

Los Angeles County Department of Public Health Webpages
              Local Rabies Overview
              Rabies Control  Manual
              Human rabies

To see a map of all rabid bats found in Los Angeles County from 2000 through 2010. click here.

Last updated January 11, 2011