Just to add to the disagreements, most of the time it is distemper, not rabies, although the signs and symptoms can be quite similiar and are often confused. One also needs to keep in mind as we encroach on animals environments, their behaviors will change accordingly, so what once was an uncommon behaviour will be less so. For example, grizzly bear were once plains animals and only moved into mountainous areas due to the encroachment of man and hunting pressures.