Rabid bat found in Gene Coulon Park in Renton

Published 11:15 am Thursday, July 30, 2026

A rabid animal was found at Gene Coulon Memorial Beach Park on Tuesday.

The Public Health Department of Seattle and King County reported they identified a bat with rabies found on the sidewalk at the south end of the park, in the area near the park playground, south shelter and park restrooms. The bat was reported to park staff by members of the public on July 28 and euthanized by an animal control agency. Public Health tested the bat, which came back positive for rabies on July 29.

Public health reports no people are known to have had direct contact with this bat. They are instructing anyone who may have had physical contact with the bat to please call Public Health at 206-296-4774 or to seek medical evaluation immediately.

Any person or animal that touched or had contact with the bat or its saliva could be at risk of getting rabies. Rabies is almost always fatal once symptoms begin. Rabies can be prevented if treatment is given before symptoms appear.

“Rabies is treatable if it’s caught before symptoms begin, so it’s important to identify anyone who has had contact with the bat as soon as possible,” Public Health Veterinarian Jocelyn Mullins said. “Contact includes touching a bat, being bitten or scratched, or having any other bare skin touch a bat or its saliva.”

If your pet might have had contact with this bat, contact your veterinarian immediately. Dogs, cats, ferrets and horses should be current on their rabies vaccine but will need to be revaccinated if they had contact with a bat. The best way to prevent rabies in pets is to ensure they are up-to-date on rabies vaccinations.

The health department said to not touch a bat if you see one outside. If the bat appears sick, call animal control at 206-296-7387 or find other animal control services in your area.

Call Public Health if you find a bat inside your house to discuss the situation and to determine whether the bat needs to be tested for rabies. Public Health tests bats for rabies at no charge under certain circumstances.

If a bat had direct contact with a person’s bare skin or with a pet, OR if a person wakes up to a bat in the room in which they were sleeping, the bat should be captured and might need to be tested for rabies. Use a shovel or thick gloves to put a dead bat in a box for testing.

For more information about how to safely capture a bat in your home and how to safely avoid bats, visit: kingcounty.gov/bats.