Bat Removal Abilene, TX
Abilene's Animal Outreach team, part of the Police Department, focuses on high-risk rabies wildlife inside city limits. Bats are on that list. This page covers who to call, Taylor County's testing numbers, and how Abilene's older housing stock lets bats in.
Abilene contacts
- Abilene Police Department Animal Outreach: (325) 673-8331. The dedicated Animal Outreach page lists the physical address as 610 E.S. 11th Street. Animal Outreach handles field calls for strays, dangerous animals, animal bites, and wildlife.
- Wildlife policy: the city's wildlife page says Animal Services is primarily concerned with high-risk rabies carriers inside city limits and runs a trapping program for those animals. Sick or injured wildlife is a high priority. Texas lists bats among high-risk rabies species.
- Shelter partnership: All Kind Animal Initiative manages the city shelter (Jane & Phil Guitar PARC) at 610 E.S. 11th Street, (325) 698-0085. Field wildlife and bite response stays with Animal Outreach.
- Abilene-Taylor County Public Health District (epidemiology): (325) 721-8285 (also the 24/7 reporting line), 850 N. 6th St., Abilene. DSHS lists it as the disease-reporting contact for Taylor County and the City of Abilene.
- TPWD Abilene office: 281 N. Willis, (325) 673-3333, listed on the city's wildlife page for state wildlife questions.
- DSHS Zoonosis Control, Region 2/3: Arlington office, 817-264-4920.
Taylor County bat testing
DSHS's 2024 county summary shows 4 Taylor County bats tested, all negative. With so few submissions, a single contact bat still needs to be held for testing. Get medical advice after any bite or after finding a bat in a room with a sleeping person or young child.
West-central Texas bats
- Brazilian free-tailed bat: the most common building bat across Texas; TTU notes occupation of buildings is especially common in eastern Texas but occurs statewide in the species' range.
- Cave myotis: a year-round Texas resident of north-central Texas and the Edwards Plateau that also roosts in old buildings, carports, and bridges.
- Evening bat: expanding west of the 100th meridian; Abilene sits near that line, so evening bats are less dominant here than in Dallas but still possible in buildings.
- Big brown bat: uses attics and building crevices across much of the state.
Abilene housing
About 59% of Abilene's 55,160 housing units were built before 1980, and only about 13% in 2010 or later. The median year built is 1974. About 70% are single-family detached. On older brick and frame homes, bats get in at open gable vents, shrunken fascia, and chimney chase gaps. About 3% of units are mobile homes, where bats use skirt and roof-seam gaps.
Timing
At Abilene Regional Airport, about 4 miles from town, average lows stay at 50°F or warmer from April through October. The average January low is about 34°F, colder than the Metroplex. TPWD discourages exclusion from May 1 to August 15, so plan for mid-August through October before early cold snaps cut activity short.
Abilene housing and climate snapshot
- Housing units: 55,160 (median year built 1974)
- Built before 1980: 59%; built 2010 or later: 13%
- Single-family detached: 70%; buildings with 10+ units: 9%
- Renter-occupied homes: 42%
- Average January low: 34°F; average August high: 96°F
- Months with an average low of 50°F or warmer: Apr–Oct
Housing figures: U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 2024 1-year estimates (tables B25024, B25034, B25035, B25003) via Census Reporter. Climate: NOAA 1991–2020 normals, Abilene Rgnl Ap station.
Common questions
Who do I call about a bat in Abilene?
Abilene Police Animal Outreach at (325) 673-8331. The city prioritizes high-risk rabies wildlife inside city limits.
Who handles rabies exposure questions in Taylor County?
Abilene-Taylor County Public Health District epidemiology at (325) 721-8285.
Have rabid bats been found in Taylor County?
DSHS's 2024 summary lists 4 Taylor County bats tested, all negative. Treat any bat contact as a possible exposure.
What bats live in Abilene buildings?
Mostly Brazilian free-tailed bats. Cave myotis and big brown bats also use buildings in west-central and north-central Texas.
When can bats be excluded in Abilene?
Mid-August through October. TPWD discourages exclusion from May 1 to August 15, and West Texas nights cool early in the fall.
Nearby city guides
Sources
- City of Abilene: Animal Outreach
- City of Abilene: Wildlife
- City of Abilene: Animal Services
- All Kind Animal Initiative: Animal Outreach services
- Texas DSHS: Taylor County disease reporting contacts
- Texas DSHS: Zoonosis Control regional office contacts
- Texas DSHS: 2024 rabies summary by county (PDF)
- Mammals of Texas (TTU NSRL): Brazilian free-tailed bat
- Mammals of Texas (TTU NSRL): cave myotis
- Mammals of Texas (TTU NSRL): evening bat
- Mammals of Texas (TTU NSRL): big brown bat
- TPWD Outdoor Annual: nongame and other species (bats)
- Texas DSHS: bat exposure scenarios and capture tips
- Census Reporter: Abilene ACS 2024 profile
- NOAA NCEI 1991–2020 monthly normals (Abilene Rgnl Ap)
Other Texas cities we serve
We serve all of Texas. Here are nearby service areas.
Other wildlife removal services we offer here
Abilene bat removal, done right.
Call for a phone consultation. Written warranty. Licensed by Texas Parks & Wildlife.