April 17, 2026 – A bat that was found inside a residence in Rock Falls, Illinois and sent to the Illinois Department of Public Health by Whiteside County Animal Control, has tested POSITIVE for rabies.
MAKE SURE YOUR CATS AND DOGS ARE VACCINATED
Rabies is most often found in wild animals such as bats, raccoons, skunks and foxes. Humans and pets are at risk of contracting rabies through bites, scratches. It can also be contracted when saliva from an infected animal enters the mucosa (eye, lips, tongue, and mouth), or a wound. Keeping your cat or dog vaccinated helps protect both of you from rabies should either you encounter a wild animal or a bat enter your home.
DO NOT TOUCH OR HANDLE BATS
If you encounter a bat in your home, do not touch or handle it without protective equipment and contact Whiteside County Animal Control at 815-625-3507 for guidance and to report the encounter. If a bat is in your home, do not release the bat outdoors until after speaking with animal control or public health officials. Use extreme caution when attempting to catch or pick up dead or injured bats or animals. Use a shovel or gloves that can be discarded. Do not re-use gloves after handling a bat, and never use your bare hands. If the bat lands, you may approach slowly with gloves and place a box, bucket or coffee can over it, then slide and tape a piece of cardboard under the container to trap the animal. Punching tiny holes in the cardboard will allow the bat to breathe. Once trapped please contact Whiteside County Animal Control at 815-625-3507.
PREVENTING RABIES IN HUMANS
There is no cure for rabies and it is fatal without preventative treatment. Post exposure treatment after encountering an animal with or suspective of rabies includes receiving immunoglobulin and a vaccination series immediately after an exposure. If you suspect exposure to a bat or rabid animal contact Animal Control and your Healthcare Provider as soon as possible.
For information regarding rabies, please visit the Illinois Department of Public Health Website at https://www.dph.illinois.gov/topics-services/diseases-and-conditions/diseases-a-z-list/rabies
