Rabies Statistics

Animals Tested for Rabies, by Species and Test Result, Minnesota, 2003-2024 (PDF)

The majority of animals that we test are negative for rabies, except for skunks. Nearly half of the skunks tested have rabies.
 

Rabies Trends in Bats, Skunks, and Domestic Animals, Minnesota, 2005-2024 (PDF)

In Minnesota, bats and skunks are the natural carriers of rabies. As rabies levels in skunks drop so do levels of rabies in domestic animals. This happens because most domestic animals get rabies from skunks.

Rabies in Bats, Skunks, and Domestic Animals, Minnesota, 2005-2024 (PDF)

This graph shows the number of rabid skunks, bats, and domestic animals by year for the past 20 years. 

Rabid Raccoons in Minnesota, 1988-2024 (PDF)

Minnesota does not have the raccoon strain of the rabies virus so rabid raccoons are very rare. When a raccoon does get rabies, it has the skunk strain of the virus not the raccoon strain. 

Bats Submitted for Rabies Testing by Month, Minnesota, 2003-2024 (PDF)

Bats are very active in the late summer months as they are preparing for winter, and pups are leaving the maternity roost for the first time thus increasing your chances of having a bat encounter during this time of year. Overall, 3.8% of the bats we tested had rabies. If you have woken up to a bat, had a small child or a vulnerable adult awaken to a bat, or someone had physical contact with a bat, please capture the bat and submit it for rabies testing. 

2024 Rabid Bats Compared to the 5-year Average (2019-2023) of Rabid Bats

This graph shows the number of rabid bats by month in 2024 compared to the average number of rabid bats per month from 2019-2023.

2024 Rabid Skunks Compared to the 5-year Average (2019-2023) of Rabid Skunks

This graph shows the number of rabid skunks by month in 2024 compared to the average number of rabid skunks per month from 2019-2023. This many rabid skunks in one year hadn’t been seen in Minnesota since 2013.