June 30, 2026, 1:46 p.m. PT
A bat found in Benton County tested positive for rabies at the Oregon State Veterinary Diagnostic Laboratory on June 17.
This is the first case for the county in 2026.
The bat was found by a local resident on their property on June 15, where it may have had contact with their domestic animals.
“Rabies is present in the bat population and bats are the primary reservoir of rabies in wild animals for our area of the country,” Benton County Environmental Health official Robert Baker said in a statement. “Direct hand contact with bats should always be avoided if possible.”
Rabies is passed to humans and other animals primarily through bites or scratches from the infected animal. Public health officials remind residents to prevent the disease by vaccinating pets against rabies.
Common symptoms of rabies in animals includes lethargy, walking in circles, loss of muscular coordination, convulsions, irritability, aggressiveness, disorientation, excessive drooling and showing no fear of humans, Benton County Environmental Health said.
If a bat bites someone, immediately contact Benton County Environmental Health at 541-766-6835.
For more information on rabies, go to Benton County’s animal bites webpage, the Oregon Health Authority’s rabies webpage, and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s rabies webpage.
Makenzie Stamets is an outdoor intern at the Statesman Journal. She can be reached at mstamets@statesmanjournal.com or on X at @MakenzieStamets.
