Rabid Bat Notice in Downtown Minneapolis

A note seen on September 19th from the Minnesota Department Of Health on a street pole in Downtown Minneapolis. "RABID BAT FOUND ON SIDEWALK On Tuesday, September 15 at about 12pm, a bat was found on the sidewalk on Hennepin Ave between N. Washington Ave and N 3rd St. The bat died and was sent for rabies testing. This bat tested positive for rabies. A woman was seen crouching by the bat and putting it into a bag. She was described as a 25-to-30-year-old white woman, about 5'5", with curly brown hair and a curly-haired golden retriever-like dog. If this was you, please call 911 and ask to be connected to Animal Care & Control. Bites from bats are tiny, may be painless, and may not leave a mark. Any person who had physical contact or touched this bat should talk with a health care provider this weekend for assessment. During the week, Minnesota Department of Health can also provide rabies assessments at 651-201-5414. If you did not touch or have any contact with the bat, you have no risk of rabies and do not need shots."

Photo taken in September 2026.