Health officials in North Carolina are urging individuals who interacted with baby goats at a mobile petting zoo to reach out to their local health departments due to several goats testing positive for rabies.
The North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services (NCDHHS) reported that the infected goats came from Farm Adventures, a mobile petting zoo operating out of Harmony, North Carolina, which has been active at various off-site events across surrounding counties.
Anyone who came into contact with baby goats from Farm Adventures—whether at its Harmony location or at an event between July 28 and August 27—is advised to connect with their local health department. They will help assess if any medical intervention is necessary to prevent infection, according to NCDHHS.
During this timeframe, the petting zoo had events where children and elderly attendees were present, as stated by NCDHHS.
The agency mentioned that those organizing the events are being informed, and the situation is still under investigation, with more details about possible exposure locations to follow.
In a statement on Facebook, Farm Adventures confirmed that four baby goats had contracted rabies and were euthanized to limit the spread of the virus.
The petting zoo named the infected goats as Molly, Maggie, Cow, and Uno.
Farm Adventures assured that they are collaborating with public health officials, the North Carolina Department of Agriculture, and animal control to manage this situation and ensure the safety of both their animals and clients.
According to their statement, the goats were kept in a separate pen, away from other animals.
They explained that the four goats were unable to receive vaccinations because a skunk entered their pen and bit them. Although the skunk was subsequently removed, the petting zoo wasn’t aware of the bites at the time.
“They didn’t display any signs or symptoms of rabies,” the company stated.
After a veterinarian examined the situation, one of the goats was sent for a necropsy. State health officials confirmed that several goats showed positive results for rabies from the North Carolina State Laboratory of Public Health.
“These past few days have been incredibly difficult for us,” Farm Adventures expressed.
Rabies is a serious viral disease that can be fatal without appropriate medical care before symptoms develop, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).
The virus mainly spreads through bites or scratches from infected animals. In the U.S., bats, skunks, raccoons, and foxes are the animals most commonly associated with rabies, according to CDC data.
About 100,000 Americans receive rabies vaccinations each year after potential exposure, as per the CDC.
Human rabies cases are quite rare in the United States, with no reported infections in North Carolina since 2011, according to NCDHHS.
