Bats and Pets in Utah
In 2024 Utah DHHS recorded 31 rabid bats and 13 pet exposures. Vaccinated dogs and cats are far safer, but any bat contact still needs a call to animal control and your veterinarian—not a wait-and-see approach.
Why bat contact matters for Utah pets
Utah’s only established rabies reservoir is bats. The Utah Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) 2024 annual rabies report found 31 rabid bats—the highest single-year count on record—and those bats exposed 13 people and 13 pets. Mexican free-tailed bats accounted for the largest share of positives (10), followed by big brown bats (7) and western pipistrelles (6). No dogs or cats tested positive in 2024, but exposure still triggers quarantine or booster decisions.
Pets meet bats in garages, on patios at dusk, and when a bat is grounded indoors. Cats that hunt at night are especially likely to bat a grounded animal. DHHS and local health departments treat that contact as a potential rabies exposure even when the pet looks fine.
Immediate steps if your dog or cat contacts a bat
- Separate pet and bat without bare-hand contact with the bat. Close doors so the bat cannot hide in furniture or another room.
- Call animal control for your city or county so the bat can be collected for testing when possible. Capture guidance from Utah DWR and Salt Lake County: contain the bat under a box, slide cardboard underneath, and keep people and pets away.
- Call your veterinarian the same day with the pet’s rabies vaccine history. Vaccinated pets are usually observed at home after a booster; unvaccinated pets face longer isolation rules under Utah’s rabies control measures.
- If anyone in the household may have touched the bat or slept in a room with an unaccounted-for bat, call your local health department. Salt Lake County Health Department: 385-468-4222.
Utah vaccination rules protect pets
Utah requires rabies vaccination for dogs, cats, and ferrets. Keep the certificate where you can find it. After a bat encounter, animal control and your veterinarian will ask for proof. A current vaccine is the difference between a short home observation and a long, expensive quarantine.
DHHS publishes a rabies prevention flowchart covering pet exposures. When the bat is available for testing and is negative, that often shortens or ends observation. When the bat is not available, decisions follow vaccination status and clinical judgment.
County contacts many Wasatch Front pet owners use
- Salt Lake County Animal Services: city-specific non-emergency numbers are listed in the county bat brochure; West Jordan and Herriman share 801-840-4000 for dispatch. Health department (human exposure): 385-468-4222.
- Utah County Animal Services: 801-851-4049. Utah County Health Department: 801-851-3000. Eagle Mountain animal calls also go through the Utah County Sheriff’s Office animal-control line listed on the city site (801-798-5600).
- Statewide rabies information: epi.utah.gov/rabies/ (Utah DHHS).
- Utah Division of Wildlife Resources: bats are protected; exclusion timing guidance is on the DWR bats page. Central Region office: 801-491-5678.
How attic exclusion protects pets
Colony bats in a ridge vent or chimney can end up in living space where dogs and cats sleep. Professional exclusion uses one-way doors, then permanent sealing after the colony leaves. Salt Lake County’s bat brochure says do not seal from May 1 through September 1 (maternity season). Utah DWR points to fall as the best sealing window. Inspection and planning can happen any time—including while you wait out maternity season.
If you already have pets and a known roost, schedule an inspection at (801) 675-8829 so entry points are mapped before the legal sealing window opens.
Common questions
- What should I do if my dog or cat touches a bat in Utah?
- Separate them, call animal control to recover the bat for testing when possible, then call your veterinarian with vaccine records. Treat it as a potential rabies exposure.
- How many pets were exposed to rabid bats in Utah in 2024?
- Utah DHHS reported 13 pet exposures from 31 rabid bats statewide in 2024.
- Do Utah dogs and cats have to be vaccinated for rabies?
- Yes—dogs, cats, and ferrets. Keep certificates available for animal control and your vet.
- Who do I call in Salt Lake County if a pet meets a bat?
- Your city’s animal services number (see the SLCo bat brochure); for human contact questions call 385-468-4222.
- Can sealing the attic protect my pets from bats?
- Yes. Exclusion after the maternity window keeps bats out of rooms where pets sleep. Fall is the preferred sealing season.
Related city guides
Sources
- Utah DHHS: Annual rabies report 2024
- Utah DHHS: Rabies (communicable diseases)
- Utah DHHS: Frequently asked questions about rabies (PDF)
- Utah DHHS: Rabies prevention flowchart 2024 (PDF)
- Salt Lake County Health Department: bats brochure (PDF)
- Utah Division of Wildlife Resources: bats
- CDC: Bats and rabies
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