Rabies confirmed in Lambton County bats for first time since 2021

New rabies cases in bats highlight ongoing risks in Lambton County, with public health data showing increased exposures and prevention efforts.

Rabies has reappeared in Lambton County wildlife, with three confirmed cases in bats reported in 2025, marking the first local animal infections since 2021.

According to Lambton Public Health, the previous confirmed cases were also found in bats, with two positive tests recorded four years earlier. While human cases remain exceptionally rare in Canada, health officials continue to stress the seriousness of the disease.

Rabies affects the central nervous system and is most often transmitted through bites or scratches, or through contact with infected saliva. Without timely medical intervention, it is almost always fatal. However, the availability of post-exposure treatment has significantly reduced the risk to humans when exposures are identified early.

Public health data shows that Lambton County carried out 369 rabies investigations in 2025. Of those, 69 individuals received post-exposure vaccinations, the highest number reported locally in at least seven years. A notable portion of exposures continues to involve bats, which account for roughly a third of cases requiring treatment since 2019.

More recently, Lambton Public Health has also investigated dog-bite incidents in Sarnia at the end of March and has sought assistance from the public to identify the animals involved in order to assess any potential risk.

Wild animals such as bats, skunks, raccoons, and foxes remain the most common carriers of rabies in Canada, though the virus can infect any warm-blooded animal.

Vaccination remains a key line of defence. Provincial regulations require all cats and dogs over three months old to be vaccinated. In 2025, local clinics administered rabies vaccines to more than 500 pets across Lambton County.

Nine low-cost rabies clinics are planned for 2026, with several taking place in April:

• April 11, 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. at the Sarnia Humane Society, 131 Exmouth St.
• April 11, 9 a.m. to 11 a.m. at Rutherford Public Works Garage, 4590 Lambton Line
• April 11, 1:30 p.m. to 3:30 p.m. at Dawn-Euphemia Community Centre, 6213 Mill St., Florence
• April 18, 9:30 a.m. to 11:30 a.m. at Cairo Public Works Garage, 1345 Cairo Rd.

Health officials continue to advise residents to avoid contact with wild animals and to seek medical attention immediately if exposure is suspected.