09/10/2026
McDonough county has had a bat test positive for rabies so here’s what everyone needs to know!
1. Bats commonly try to get inside this time of year so this is when a lot of exposures and testing happens. If you get a bat in the house and it needs to be tested DO NOT smash the head (the brain is what needs to be tested.) DO NOT freeze the bat. We can humanely euthanize bats that need to be tested while ensuring a quality sample is maintained.
2. Contact the health department or your doctor for determination of testing needs. (Generally recommended for known bites or scratches, children/people that wake up in a room with a bat, pets that have had contact, etc.)
3. There is NO CURE for rabies and testing can only occur on dead mammals (because a piece of the brain is what is tested) so PREVENTION is key. Make sure your pets are vaccinated and kept current on rabies vaccines. People always say “my cat doesn’t go outside.” See #1. Bats are trying to find a winter home and are coming inside this time of the year. Who do you think will have a fun time catching and playing with an indoor bat?! Yep, that cat doesn’t go outside.