North Carolina health officials are advising anyone who came into contact with baby goats at a mobile petting zoo to reach out to their local health department after several of the animals tested positive for rabies.
The North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services (NCDHHS) said the rabid goats belonged to Farm Adventures, a mobile petting zoo based in Harmony, North Carolina, that recently traveled to events in several counties.
According to NCDHHS, anyone who touched or otherwise had contact with baby goats from Farm Adventures at its Harmony site or during an off-site event between July 28 and Aug. 27 should contact a local health department to find out whether preventive rabies medication is recommended.
The agency said Farm Adventures hosted off-site events during that timeframe that included children and older adults in multiple counties.
Event organizers are being contacted as part of the response, officials said. The investigation is still underway, and NCDHHS said more details about possible rabies exposure locations will be shared as they become available.
In a statement posted on Facebook, Farm Adventures said four of its baby goats had contracted rabies and were euthanized to help prevent any further spread of the virus.
The petting zoo identified the goats as Molly, Maggie, Cow and Uno.
“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 said.
According to Farm Adventures, the baby goats were housed in a separate pen away from the other animals at the petting zoo.
The four goats were too young to receive their vaccinations when a skunk entered their pen, according to Farm Adventures. While the skunk was removed, the petting zoo was not aware that the goats had been bitten.
“They showed no sign or symptoms of rabies,” Farm Adventures said.
Farm Adventures said one of the animals was ultimately sent for a necropsy after its veterinarian investigated what was happening. State health officials said several goats tested positive for rabies at the North Carolina State Laboratory of Public Health.
“These past few days have been incredibly difficult for us,” Farm Adventures said.
Rabies is a viral disease that is deadly if people do not receive medical care before symptoms begin, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).
The virus primarily spreads through bites or scratches from an infected animal. Bats, skunks, raccoons and foxes are the animals most frequently found with rabies in the US, according to the CDC.
The CDC said roughly 100,000 Americans receive rabies vaccinations following a potential exposure each year.
Human rabies infections are extremely rare in the US, and no human cases have been reported in North Carolina since 2011, according to NCDHHS.
