North Carolina health officials are urging anyone who touched baby goats at a mobile petting zoo to contact their local health department after several goats tested positive for rabies.
Health Warning
The North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services (NCDHHS) said the infected goats came from Farm Adventures, a mobile petting zoo based in Harmony, and that exposure occurred between July 28 and August 27.
Anyone who had direct contact with those baby goats at the Harmony location or at any off‑site event during that period must call their health department to determine if preventive medication is needed.
Farm Adventures Response
Farm Adventures confirmed that four of its baby goats — Molly, Maggie, Cow and Uno — tested positive for rabies and were euthanized to stop further spread.
The company said the goats were too young for vaccination when a skunk entered their pen, bit them, and was removed without the zoo realizing the animals had been exposed.
“We are working closely with public health officials, the North Carolina Department of Agriculture, and animal control to address this issue and ensure the safety of our animals and clients,” Farm Adventures stated.
Rabies Risks
Rabies is a viral disease that is deadly once symptoms appear, according to the CDC, and spreads through bites or scratches from infected animals.
Bats, skunks, raccoons and foxes are the species most often carrying rabies in the United States, the agency added.
Approximately 100,000 Americans receive post‑exposure rabies vaccinations each year, though human infections remain extremely rare.
North Carolina has not reported a human rabies case since 2011, the state health department noted.
