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Rabies, Bats, and Animal Bites: What to Do

Rabies is almost always fatal once symptoms start — but it's nearly 100% preventable with prompt care after an exposure. In Michigan, bats are the most common source. Learn what to do after a bite or bat encounter. Find comprehensive healthcare information and local resources in Grand Rapids, Michigan.

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Rabies and Animal Bites in Grand Rapids, Michigan

Rabies is a viral disease that affects the brain and is almost always fatal once symptoms appear — but it is nearly 100% preventable when you get prompt medical care after an exposure. In Michigan, bats are the most common source of human rabies risk, though skunks, raccoons, and unvaccinated pets can also carry it. Knowing what to do after a bite or a bat in the house can be lifesaving.

When to worry about rabies

You may have been exposed if:

  • You were bitten or scratched by a wild animal (especially a bat, skunk, raccoon, or fox) or an unfamiliar dog or cat.
  • You woke up with a bat in the room, or a bat is found near a child, a sleeping person, or someone unable to report a bite. Bat bites can be tiny and painless, so direct contact is enough reason to seek care.
  • You handled a bat or had it touch your bare skin.

What to do right away

  1. Wash the wound thoroughly with soap and running water for several minutes — this alone greatly reduces risk.
  2. Seek medical care promptly (your doctor, urgent care, or the emergency department).
  3. Report the exposure to the Kent County Health Department, which helps assess risk and coordinate next steps.
  4. If you can do so safely, don’t release or destroy the animal’s head — a bat or other animal may need to be tested for rabies. Never handle it with bare hands.

If a healthy dog or cat with a known owner bit you, it can often be observed for 10 days instead of tested — your health department will advise.

Post-exposure treatment works

If there’s a real risk, your provider will recommend post-exposure prophylaxis (PEP) — a dose of rabies immune globulin plus a short series of rabies vaccine shots over about two weeks. Given promptly, PEP is highly effective at preventing rabies. Modern shots are given in the arm, not the stomach.

Prevent rabies

  • Vaccinate your pets — dogs, cats, and ferrets — and keep them up to date. It’s the law and your best protection.
  • Don’t feed, touch, or approach wild animals, and teach children to leave them alone.
  • Bat-proof your home — seal gaps and keep bats out of living spaces.
  • Report stray or strange-acting animals to local animal control.

When in doubt after any animal bite or bat encounter, call your doctor or the Kent County Health Department — it’s always better to ask.

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