Rabid Bat Discovered on Busy Seattle Street Near UW Campus

A Dangerous Find on a Busy City Block

A rabid bat was found in Seattle on July 15 on the sidewalk on University Way Northeast, between NE 41st and NE 42nd streets. The location sits near Parrington Lawn on the University of Washington campus and is a busy area with many businesses. What makes this discovery especially alarming isn't just the diagnosis — it's where it happened. Foot traffic in that corridor is constant, meaning dozens of people could have walked past, or even interacted with, the grounded animal without knowing the risk they faced.

Public Health – Seattle & King County received multiple public calls about the bat and directed people to contact animal control. The bat was euthanized by an animal control agency on July 16, and Public Health tested the bat and received a positive result on July 17. Public Health confirmed the callers who reported the bat did not have physical contact with it, and to date, no other people are known to have been exposed. That's encouraging — but officials stress the window for identifying anyone at risk is narrow.

Why Speed Matters With Rabies

Rabies is a viral disease that infects the central nervous system of humans and animals. It is almost always fatal once symptoms begin. That grim reality is exactly why public health officials are urging anyone who was in the area on July 15 to act immediately rather than wait and see.

"Rabies is treatable if caught before symptoms appear, so identifying anyone who has had contact with the bat as soon as possible is important," 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 contact with a bat or its saliva." 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.

What Pet Owners Need to Know

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. This is a timely reminder for pet owners across the region, not just those near the UW campus.

The virus is found in the saliva of an animal with rabies and is usually transmitted by a bite or scratch. But the risk isn't limited to obvious wounds. A bat's teeth are small enough that a bite can go unnoticed, which is why health officials treat any bare-skin contact as a potential exposure. Public Health tests bats for rabies at no charge under certain circumstances , making it easier for residents to get answers without worrying about cost.

How to Handle a Bat Encounter

If you see a bat outside, do not touch the bat. If you are concerned that the bat is sick, call animal control. 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. The instinct to help an animal that appears injured is understandable, but with bats, that impulse can carry serious consequences.

This incident serves as a broader reminder that rabies in wildlife is not a relic of the past — it's an active public health concern in urban areas. The practical question for anyone who was near the area on July 15 is how many people may have had unnoticed contact before the bat was euthanized on July 16. For anyone who touched it, the next step is immediate medical evaluation, not waiting for symptoms. In a race against a disease with no cure once it takes hold, early action isn't just smart — it's everything.