Northern Colorado bat tests positive for rabies: How to protect yourself, pets

DENVER (KDVR) — On Wednesday, officials reported that a bat found 'acting unusual on the ground' near Highland Lake in Mead tested positive for rabies, the first animal case in Colorado for 2025.
The bat was found on Monday, May 5, and submitted to the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment for testing. The Weld County Department of Public Health and Environment received the results on Tuesday.
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The Weld County department is asking anyone who was in the Highland Lake area on Sunday or Monday and who thinks they or their pets may have had direct contact with this bat to contact the Weld County health department at 970-400-2290 as soon as possible.
Rabies is known to infect mammals, but bats and skunks are the two main rabies carriers in Colorado. Not all bats have rabies, the WCDPHE reported, but a bat that is acting abnormally, like lying on the ground, being out during daylight hours, showing a lack of motor skills or acting aggressively, could be sick.
Rabies is almost 100% fatal and impacts the nervous system. There is a vaccine for all domestic animals, including cats, dogs, horses and livestock. WCDPHE also noted that over the past few years, 'a variety of animal-to-human contacts have led to several dozen Weld County residents to require rabies immune globulin and vaccine for post-exposure treatment.'
'Effective vaccination treatment is available to prevent rabies if started before symptoms appear. There have been no human deaths related to rabies exposure in Weld County,' WCDPHE reported.
How to prevent rabies exposure
The news of the Weld County rabies case comes on the same day that the Denver Department of Public Health and Environment issued a warning on how residents can stay 'rabies-free this spring.'
'This year Denver Animal Protection has already responded to calls of people bitten by wild animals,' said Animal Protection Lt. Josh Rolfe in the DDPHE release. 'Rabies is more than just an animal issue—it's a serious public health threat that can be deadly to both people and pets. To avoid exposure to rabies, keep pets up to date with required rabies vaccination and never touch a wild animal.'
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DDPHE has strict rules surrounding rabies: Any skunk, raccoon, bat, coyote or fox handled by a person or in contact with a pet must be euthanized and tested for rabies, as there is no definitive way to test for rabies in a living animal.
People who have handled wild animals must receive post-exposure rabies vaccinations. Pets must be quarantined for up to 45 days.
'Even a seemingly healthy animal could be carrying rabies and not exhibit any symptoms,' DDPHE stated. 'If you encounter these animals, do not approach or try to touch them and keep a safe distance. Touching wild animals presents a serious rabies risk.'
Baby animals may be tempting to pick up, but DDPHE warned that many baby animals are not orphaned but are left alone in safe spaces while the adults search for food or other resources. The mother is usually close by, DDPHE reported. Also, birds will leave the nest before they can fly and will be seen hopping around the ground. The fledglings are able to feed on the ground and intervention usually does more harm than good, the agency stated.
To contact the Weld County Department of Public Health and Environment, call 970-400-2290. For after-hours emergencies, call the Weld County Dispatch at 970-350-9600 and select option 1.
To contact Denver Animal Protection, call 720-913-2080 or the Denver police's non-emergency number at 720-913-2000.
Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
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