The Denver Department of Public Health & Environment (DDPHE) and Denver Animal Protection (DAP) have confirmed that two bats found in city neighborhoods this July have tested positive for rabies. The first Rabid Bats was discovered on July 8 in the Sloan Lake area, and the second on July 17 in the Highlands neighborhood—marking the city’s first confirmed rabies cases in rabid bats for 2025.
Officials warned that rabies is nearly always fatal once symptoms appear, and these findings have triggered a renewed push to raise public awareness and urge precaution. The infected rabid bats are part of a seasonal trend that typically sees increased rabies activity during the warmer months when bats are more active.
Risks, Safety Measures, and Public Health Guidance
Rabies is a viral disease spread through the saliva of infected animals, commonly through bites or scratches. Rabid Bats , though small, can carry the virus and inflict bites that are difficult to detect. Both DDPHE and DAP have emphasized the importance of avoiding direct contact with bats or any wild animals.
Denver residents are being urged to:
- Avoid touching or handling bats (dead or alive)
- Report sightings immediately to Denver Animal Protection at 720-913-2080
- Vaccinate pets against rabies, as required by law
- Seek immediate medical care if bitten or scratched by any animal
To help protect pets, the Denver Animal Shelter is offering low-cost rabies vaccinations every Tuesday and Thursday from 10:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m., available on a first-come, first-served basis.
Seasonal Surge in Rabies Cases Across Colorado
The two confirmed Denver cases are part of a wider pattern emerging across Colorado. According to the state’s Department of Public Health and Environment, there have been 17 reported rabies cases statewide in 2025, including eight in June alone. Neighboring counties such as Jefferson and Larimer have also reported infected bats this summer.
Experts say these outbreaks are common in the late summer months as bats become more active. Nationally, bats are the most common carriers of rabies in wildlife, accounting for a significant percentage of all rabid animal cases in the U.S.
Officials urge residents to seal entry points to attics and chimneys, and ensure window screens are intact to prevent bats from entering homes. If a bat is found indoors—especially where humans or pets were present overnight—it should be tested for rabies immediately.
With rabies being almost 100% fatal once symptoms begin, authorities stress that preventive action is the best defense.
