08/13/2026
🚨 RABIES WARNING — CHERRY COUNTY, NEBRASKA 🦇
This is not a “wait and see” situation. We are currently seeing increased bat activity, and this week a bat found interacting/playing with puppies in Cherry County tested POSITIVE for rabies.
This is a serious reminder that rabies is present in our area and that any contact with a bat should be taken seriously.
🦇 Did you or your pet have contact with a bat? Even if you did not see a bite or scratch, exposure can still occur. Bat bites can be tiny and may go unnoticed.
⚠️ Especially concerning: A bat found inside a home where people or pets were sleeping may represent a possible rabies exposure, even when no direct contact was witnessed.
DO NOT handle a bat with your bare hands, and do not simply release it if there has been possible exposure. (The paper towel is also not enough - but this bag tested negative last year). Use thick leather gloves. Contact your veterinarian or local health department immediately for guidance on rabies testing and/or appropriate post-exposure treatment. Nebraska recommends testing suspected rabies exposures through the state’s established process.
🐶 Pet owners: Please make sure your dogs, cats, and other pets are current on their rabies vaccinations. If your pet has had any contact with a bat, call your veterinarian right away.
With a rabies-positive bat confirmed in Cherry County this week, now is the time to be especially vigilant.
Take bat encounters seriously. When it comes to rabies, early action matters.
🦇🚨 Please share this information with your family, friends, and fellow pet owners.