Without prompt medical attention, rabies is a fatal,
viral disease that affects the nervous system in mammals.

Rabies may be transmitted to humans by pets, livestock, and wildlife by infectious blood and saliva, usually through a bite.
Human and domestic animal cases of rabies can be prevented by vaccination - it is very important to keep your pets current on their vaccinations. In South Dakota, skunks are a very common source of rabies. However, in the previous decade (1998-2007), 2,112 bats were tested for rabies but only 3% were rabid.



If you HAVE BEEN bitten or scratched...
Contact your physician immediately -  you will need the post-exposure rabies vaccination.
Capture that bat - you will need to have it tested! Contact an animal-control or public health agency ASAP
The current injectable vaccine is administered in 4 small shots into your shoulder muscle - these are relatively painless.


If you MAY HAVE BEEN bitten or scratched...
Contact your physician immediately. They will help determine the need for the vaccination.
Capture that bat - you will need to have it tested! Contact an animal-control or public health agency ASAP.



If you have a bat in your home... Check with everyone in the house to be absolutely sure no human or pet exposure has occurred. Confine the bat to a room by closing all the doors leading into the rest of the house. Open any windows or exterior doors to give the bat an escape route. Sometimes a bat will fall to the ground exahausted. After the bat has calmed down and regained it's energy, it will be quite happy to fly out of your house as quickly as possible. If the animal is very tired or pregnant, you may have to catch the animal as described below, and then release it outdoors away from people, small children, and pets.





When collecting a bat for testing,
Use the following precautions to protect yourself and to capture the bat safely:

1. Collect the following materials: thick leather gloves, small box/coffee can, cardboardsheet, strong tape.
2. Put on the gloves!
3. Approach the bat slowly - place the box/can over the top of the bat.
4. Slide the sheet of cardboard under the container to trap the bat inside
5. Tape the cardboard to the container securely, and punch small holes in the lid so that the bat can breathe (= fresh sample).
6. If there is a wound of any kind, clean it with soap and a povidone-iodine solution, if one is handy.
7. Seek prompt, professional medical treatment!


When you submit a specimen...

1. Do not damage the head of the animal by gunshot or crushing.
2. Specimens must be reasoanably fresh - do NOT freeze the body!
3. Fill out the submission form: http://vetsci.sdstate.edu
4. Samples arriving after noon will be tested the next business day.





Testing facilities in South Dakota

SDSU Animal Disease Research and Diagnostic Laboratory
Dept of Veterinary Science, Box 2175, North Campus Dr.,
South Dakota State University, Brookings, SD 57007-1396.
Phone: 605-688-5171

South Dakota Department of Health
615 East 4th Street, Pierre, South Dakota 57501
Phone: 1-800-592-1861.



Additional resources:

CDC - http://www.cdc.gov/rabies/bats.html

CDC - http://www.in.gov/boah/files/rabiescompendium2008.pdf

SD-DOH - 2023 Rabies Report

SD-DOH - Rabies Fact Sheet

NASBR - Resolution regarding bats and rabies