By Missouri Public Radio
Columbia, MO – Rabies is on the rise in Missouri.
The state health department says 18 animals had tested positive for rabies as of last week. That's three times the amount reported during the same period last year.
State veterinarian Howard Pue says 2005 is shaping up as a bad year for rabies, but there are things people can do. Namely, Pue says people should get rabies shots for their own pets because they're most likely to come in contact with a wild animal that could be rabid.
This year's cases have occurred mainly in bats and skunks. Pue also says parents should remind children to stay away from wild and stray animals.