Sacramento City residents have had three encounters with what are believed to be rabid animals in the past week.

A rabid skunk was found in a Sacramento parking garage and a raccoon attacked two Sacramento residents and their pets.  Doctor Glennah Trochet says animals naturally steer clear of humans…unless the animals are sick.

TROCHET: "We have rabies in the Sacramento area and we test animals that have rabies.  We see them mostly in bats, skunks, raccoons and foxes."

Two people have already started a regimen of four shots to prevent rabies from causing encephalitis…or inflammation of the brain after the raccoon attack.  Failing to be treated is almost always fatal.  

The county is asking everyone to avoid raccoons and skunks and to avoid feeding pets outside if at all possible.