Why you shouldn’t touch wild baby animals: They’re euthanized to test for rabies

DENVER (KDVR) — Denver Animal Protection is asking Coloradans to resist the urge to pet wild baby animals this spring in order to help preserve wildlife.

Wild animals account for over 90% of reported rabies cases in the country. The disease, spread primarily through bite wounds, has a 99.9% mortality rate according to Denver Animal Protection. They said that’s why they take exposure so seriously and ask people to “keep wildlife wild and leave wildlife alone.”

Wild animals can carry diseases that are harmful to humans. But Courtney Ronner, public information officer for the Denver Department of Public Health and Environment, said we may also have bacteria on our hands that can be dangerous to the…