A rabid bat was found in Renton on July 28, 2026, at Gene Coulon Park. The bat was found on the sidewalk at the south end of the park, in the area near the park playground, south shelter and park restrooms.
Anyone who might have had physical contact with this bat (even if not bitten) could be at risk and should seek medical evaluation immediately or call Public Health at 206-296-4774 to determine if rabies preventative treatment is necessary.
The bat was found in the circle marked on the map below.
Rabies is a life-threatening disease but can be prevented if treatment is given before symptoms appear.
The bat was first identified on July 28, 2026 and was reported to park staff by members of the public who then notified Public Health. The bat was euthanized by an animal control agency on July 28, 2026. Public Health tested the bat for rabies and received a positive test on July 29, 2026.
To date, no people are known to have had direct contact with this bat. If you had any contact with this bat, please call Public Health or seek medical evaluation immediately.
Who is at risk
Any person or animal that touched or had contact with the bat or its saliva could be at risk of getting rabies. Rabies is almost always fatal once symptoms begin. Fortunately, rabies can be prevented if treatment is given before symptoms appear.
“Rabies is treatable if it’s caught before symptoms begin, so it’s important to identify anyone who has had contact with the bat as soon as possible,” said Jocelyn Mullins, Public Health Veterinarian at Public Health – Seattle & King County. “Contact includes touching a bat, being bitten or scratched, or having any other bare skin touch a bat or its saliva.”
Rabies and pets
If your pet might have had contact with this bat, contact your veterinarian immediately. Dogs, cats, ferrets, and horses should be current on their rabies vaccine but will need to be revaccinated if they had contact with a bat. The best way to prevent rabies in pets is to ensure they are up-to-date on rabies vaccinations.
More about rabies
Rabies is dangerous, but it can be prevented if treatment is given before symptoms develop.
- If someone has had contact with a bat, treatment can prevent infection. This treatment should be given as soon as possible.
- Rabies is a viral disease of the central nervous system that is almost always fatal once symptoms begin.
- The virus is found in the saliva of an animal with rabies and is usually transmitted by a bite or scratch. Because rabies is a life-threatening disease, medical advice must be sought promptly if a bat comes into contact with humans or animals.
If you find a bat
If you see a bat outside, do not touch the bat. If you are concerned that the bat is sick, call animal control at 206-296-7387 (PETS). Find animal control services in your area.
Parents and guardians should talk with children about bat safety and have a plan for what children should do if they see a bat or other wildlife. Bats and other wild animals are especially active during the summer. Educational materials for families with children can be found here in English and Spanish. Additional materials about bat safety are available on the Washington Department of Health Rabies website.
If you find a bat inside your house, call Public Health at 206-296-4774 to discuss the situation and to determine whether the bat needs to be tested for rabies. Public Health tests bats for rabies at no charge under certain circumstances.
Open windows and allow bats to leave your home if they have not come into contact with a person or pets. Close doors to other parts of your home and secure pets away from the location of the bat.
If a bat had direct contact with a person’s bare skin or with a pet, OR if a person wakes up to a bat in the room in which they were sleeping, the bat should be captured and might need to be tested for rabies. Use a shovel or thick gloves to put a dead bat in a box for testing. Do not throw it away!
For more information about how to safely capture a bat in your home and how to safely avoid bats, visit: kingcounty.gov/bats
Originally published July 29, 2026.