– The Associated Press

BURLINGTON, Vt. – The Vermont Health Department is reminding people not to pick up wild animals.

The warning comes after 11 people and several pets were recently exposed to the saliva of a baby skunk that appeared abandoned, and was rescued from the side of a road. The skunk later tested positive for rabies.

Public Health Veterinarian Robert Johnson said everyone who was exposed, including six children, underwent a series of rabies vaccinations as a preventive measure.

Johnson said the tendency is to want to rescue the animal, but the advice is to leave it alone.