California family says live bat in their Nugget hotel room caused $15,000 in damages

A California family is suing the Nugget casino after they found a live bat in their hotel room and ended up getting vaccinated for rabies.

The family — seven adults and four children — traveled from Madera County to the Nugget in Sparks, Nev., for Fourth of July weekend in 2025, says a complaint filed July 1 in Washoe County court. The case was first reported by Courthouse News.

After they reported the bat to the front desk, an employee caught it and released it, the complaint says.

Because the animal was not tested for rabies, 10 of the family members took public health employees’ advice to be vaccinated as a precaution, which required four rounds of shots. The vaccinations “were painful, time-consuming, and caused uncomfortable side effects,” the complaint says.

The family contends that the Nugget was negligent for the employee’s failure to follow correct protocol — and because the bat was in the room in the first place — and that they suffered damages of more than $15,000. The suit seeks that amount plus punitive damages and attorney’s fees.