North Carolina health officials are advising individuals who had contact with baby goats from a mobile petting zoo to seek medical advice due to rabies exposure. The North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services (NCDHHS) confirmed that several baby goats from Farm Adventures, a petting zoo based in Harmony, North Carolina, tested positive for rabies.
The affected animals were from Farm Adventures' mobile unit, which conducted events across multiple counties. Health officials are urging anyone who touched baby goats from the petting zoo, either at its Harmony location or at off-site events between July 28 and August 27, to contact their local health department. This is to determine if preventative medication is necessary.
Farm Adventures stated in a Facebook post that four of its baby goats, named Molly, Maggie, Cow, and Uno, contracted rabies. The animals have since been euthanized to prevent further spread of the virus. According to the petting zoo, the infected goats were housed separately and were too young to be vaccinated when a skunk entered their pen and bit them. The petting zoo was not aware of the bites at the time, and the goats showed no initial symptoms.
Rabies is a viral disease that is fatal if left untreated before symptoms appear. The virus typically spreads through the bites or scratches of infected animals. While bats, skunks, raccoons, and foxes are common carriers in the U.S., human rabies infections are rare. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) estimates that about 100,000 Americans receive rabies vaccinations annually after potential exposure. North Carolina has not reported a human rabies case since 2011, according to NCDHHS.
State health officials are continuing their investigation, and additional information regarding potential exposure sites is expected to be released. Farm Adventures is cooperating with public health officials, the North Carolina Department of Agriculture, and animal control to address the situation and ensure safety.