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Joint Statement: Ventura County Animal Services and Ventura County Public Health.
Subject: Rabies-Positive Bats in Ventura County
Ventura County Public Health and Ventura County Animal Services (VCAS) are reminding residents to avoid contact with bats and other wildlife amid an increase in rabies-positive bats in Ventura County.
As of September 16, 2026, 27 bats in Ventura County have tested positive for rabies, with a little less than 4 months still remaining in the year.
Year Rabies Positive Bats
2026 27 (as of 9/16/2026)
2025 22
2024 6
2023 4
2022 6
2021 4
Rabies is a viral disease that affects the brain and nervous system of mammals, including humans. It is transmitted primarily through the saliva of an infected animal, usually through a bite or scratch. Once symptoms develop, rabies is almost always fatal, but death can be prevented with prompt medical care following an exposure.
FOUND A BAT? Do not touch bats, dead or alive. Keep children and pets away and contact Ventura County Animal Services at (805) 388-4341 for assistance. Teach children never to touch or pick up bats or other wildlife, even if they appear injured or deceased.
If you are bitten, scratched, or have direct contact with a bat, wash the affected area thoroughly with soap and water and contact a healthcare provider immediately. If a pet has contact with a bat or other wild animal, contact your veterinarian and Animal Services.
PROTECTING PETS PROTECTS PEOPLE: Bats are the animals most commonly found with rabies in California. “This is why it’s crucial that pet owners keep their pets’ rabies vaccinations current,” said Esteban Rodriguez, Director of Ventura County Animal Services. “Pets that spend time outdoors may come into contact with infected wildlife. Vaccination helps protect not only the animal, but also the people they live with.”
Ventura County requires dogs to be vaccinated against rabies throughout the County, including all cities and unincorporated areas. Cats must also be vaccinated against rabies for those living in the cities of Moorpark and Oxnard.
VCAS provides low-cost rabies vaccination clinics in various locations throughout the County and encourages pet owners to review their animals’ vaccination records to ensure they are current.
RABIES IN HUMANS: When promptly treated, rabies deaths are extremely rare in California. In 2024, a Fresno County resident died from rabies after reportedly handling a bat in Merced County approximately one month earlier. This was California’s first reported human rabies death since 2012.
This incident underscores a critical message: Never handle a bat, even if they are unable to fly, appear sick, injured, or dead.
