Eight bats have been discovered at Edgerton Elementary School in Puyallup, Washington, over a 17‑day period, the Puyallup School District said Thursday. The most recent find was a dead bat in a mechanical room, marking the third such occurrence in that area.
Officials noted that the animal had been present for an extended time and that the pattern of sightings is guiding current mitigation efforts. No human contact was reported during the latest incident, and the dead bat was disposed of following established protocols. Health Services is working with the Tacoma‑Pierce County Health Department as a precautionary measure.
The first two live bats were found on September 14 in a hallway near the cafeteria and gym; a staff member had potential contact, prompting a consultation with local health authorities. Subsequent sightings on September 17, 23, 28 and 29 involved live and dead bats in various hallways and the mechanical room. Washington law protects all bat species, but the district can safely remove bats found inside the school and is coordinating with pest‑control professionals to seal potential entry points.
Students and staff have been instructed to avoid touching bats and to report any encounter to a teacher or administrator. Parents are advised to seek medical advice if a child comes into contact with a bat. Human rabies cases are extremely rare in Washington, with only two identified in the past 75 years, both linked to the bat rabies virus. The district has not yet issued a formal statement beyond the information released to the press.
