The city of St. Joseph announces a bat tested positive for rabies this week after the dead bat was picked up by a puppy.
The announcement on St. Joseph's Facebook page says there is no reason to believe any human exposure occurred.
St. Joseph's health department is working with the family of the puppy, which had not been immunized because it was younger than the recommended vaccination age.
This is the first bat in St. Joseph that tested positive for rabies this year out following 38 negative test results. Last year, one out of 34 bats tested positive for rabies. And in 2024, one bat tested positive out of 25.
As for human exposure to rabies, the city shared an advisory from the centers for disease control and prevention control that multiple cities reported increases in human exposure since July.
St. Joseph officials recommend avoiding feeding, touching, or handling any wild animals whether they appear alive or dead.
And in St. Joseph, if a pet comes in contact with a potentially rabid animal, contact animal services immediately so the pet can be impounded for testing.
