A bat infected with rabies was found in the yard of a Bel Air home during the first week of November, according to the Bel Air Hills Association, which was notified by the Los Angeles County Department of Public Health.
The department's Veterinary Public Health Program asked the association, known as BAHA, to distribute flyers with guidance on bats, rabies and what to do if a bat is found in the community.
The find comes during a record-breaking year. The county's rabies data dashboard states that 2026 set a new record for rabid bats detected in Los Angeles County. The dashboard, last updated Oct. 22, also notes that the first rabid raccoons since 1973 were found in Westlake Village.
Bats are the most common source of rabies in the county, and rabid bats turn up every year, including inside homes, according to the department.
Rising bat rabies numbers
Rabies detections in bats have climbed over the past decade in Los Angeles County. The cause of the increase remains unknown, the department states. About 15% to 20% of bats tested locally carry rabies, though less than 1% of healthy bats are thought to be infected. The county has tested bats for rabies since 1961.
People can contract rabies through an infected animal’s bite or when its saliva enters an open wound or the eyes, nose or mouth.
What residents should do
The department advises residents who find a bat to avoid touching or handling it. Residents can report a bite or a suspected rabid animal through the department's reporting page. Additional information on bats and rabies is available on the county's Veterinary Public Health website.
Residents who encounter a bat or suspect an animal bite can call their local animal control agency for assistance.
