B.C. vet warns of surge in bat encounters after positive rabies test

A veterinarian is warning of a surge in encounters with bats in British Columbia’s Sea to Sky region after one of the mammals that had direct contact with a human tested positive for rabies.

Experts have suggested the spike in bat encounters and sightings could be related to recent wildfires in the province.

Jordie Schnarr, managing veterinarian with Coast Mountain Veterinary Services in Whistler, said a bat was brought in by health officials for testing in mid-July, and results from the Canadian Food Inspection Agency came back positive for the deadly disease.

Schnarr said she did not know what happened to the person who came into contact with the bat, and while the Vancouver Coastal Health authority did not immediately answer questions about the case, there are currently no known cases of human rabies in the province.

In 2024, an 11-year-old boy died of rabies in Ontario, after he was woken up at a cottage by a bat landing on his mouth, developing tingling, numbness and swelling on the right side of his face three weeks later.

She said a medical health officer with the authority recommended that she get two rabies boosters, even though she had been vaccinated against the disease multiple times before. 

Schnarr said the clinic had seen a “noticeable increase” in reported encounters between bats and pets, with 25 people bringing in pets so far this year, compared with fewer than five cases last year. 

“Like two days ago, we had six in one day, which is certainly an outlier,” said Schnarr. “So, we definitely are seeing an increase in these particular encounters.”

The tricky part is that the bites from bats sometimes leave no visible evidence due to their tiny teeth, said Schnarr. 

“Even if we are slightly suspicious that there could have been an interaction, we do recommend seeking post-exposure care for those pets,” said Schnarr, adding that rabies boosters are recommended for pets within seven days of exposure. 

A positive test means the pet must undergo 90 days of isolation and observation. 

The Whistler case isn’t isolated, with Coastland Veterinary Hospital in Campbell River on Vancouver Island warning this week that a bat found in the area tested positive for rabies on July 24. 

Campbell River Public Health said rabies remains uncommon in B.C., but a single rabies-positive bat isn’t unusual as bats are a “natural part of our ecosystem and a small number may carry rabies.”

“There are currently no known rabies cases in humans in B.C.,” said the health authority. 

The last human case of rabies in B.C. occurred in 2019 when a Vancouver Island man died.

The 21-year-old had minor contact with a bat and developed symptoms roughly six weeks later and died in Vancouver. 

BC Centre for Disease Control said the risk of rabies infection remained low, and less than 0.5 per cent of bats in the province carried rabies. 

“It’s not unusual to occasionally detect cases of rabies among bats in B.C. Every year, one to 12 bats test positive for rabies in different parts of the province,” it said. 

“Rabies positivity among bats in B.C. that have had encounters with humans or animals has remained low and steady in recent years, with a median positivity of 7.1 per cent.” 

Schnarr said there is a bat population in the Sea to Sky corridor which tends to be more active around dawn and dusk, but she didn’t know the reason for the recent surge of interactions.

She said some experts have suggested that wildfires could be displacing bats. The Community Bat Program in the Okanagan region — which has been hard hit by fires — posted this week that there had been a spike in reports of lone bats roosting.

“Some of these might be pups that are moving out of their maternity colony sites or they might be bats displaced by the wildfires,” the post said, urging residents to “please give bats a break” and not touch or harass them.

Paula Rodriguez de la Vega, coordinator for the BC Community Bat Program, agreed that the best thing to do about a roosting bat is to leave it alone. 

“If it’s in a busy area, consider putting a pylon, a chair, or something in front of that spot so that people don’t accidentally bump into it.”

Schnarr said the recent surge in encounters with bats underlines the importance of pets getting routine rabies vaccinations.

“We don’t want to be fearmongering. We just want to create awareness for pet owners and like from not only the aspect of pet health but also public health as well,” said Schnarr. 

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Aug. 20, 2026.