The reality of rabies

Many of us grew up with the stories of Old Yeller or Cujo (don’t tell my mother I read Steven King) and know all about rabies and the dogs foaming at the mouth trying desperately to bite the people they used to love.

So, this summer when I had raccoons and skunks enjoying the cat food by the patio door at my house, I knew I needed to take action.

None of these creatures were displaying aggressive or abnormal behavior, but having outdoor cats and kids made me leery of having wild animals comfortable being up close to my house, especially ones that are known carriers of rabies.

Rabies is an infe...