Department of Health: don't let rabies sneak up on you

Seasonal animal activity is prompting the Wyoming Department of Health (WDH) to issue a warning regarding the ongoing threat posed by rabies, a deadly but preventable disease.

Any mammal, including humans, can get rabies; in Wyoming, bats and skunks are the primary sources and can spread rabies to people and pets by bites or scratches.

Dr. Emily Curren, state public health veterinarian with WDH, said there have been three confirmed rabies cases so far this year in Sheridan County skunks. Last year, there were 14 confirmed cases of animal rabies across the state, including five in bats.

“Bats a...