North Carolina health officials are advising individuals who interacted with baby goats at a mobile petting zoo to contact their local health department after several goats tested positive for rabies. The North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services (NCDHHS) reported that the infected goats were from Farm Adventures, a mobile petting zoo located in Harmony, North Carolina, which participated in events across multiple counties.
Individuals who had contact with the baby goats from Farm Adventures, either at its Harmony location or during off-site events between July 28 and August 27, should reach out to their local health department to assess the need for preventive medication, according to NCDHHS. During this timeframe, Farm Adventures hosted events that involved children and elderly individuals across various counties.
The agency stated that organizers of these events are being informed, and the investigation is ongoing, with further information regarding potential exposure locations to be released as it becomes available.
In a statement on Facebook, Farm Adventures confirmed that four of its baby goats had contracted rabies and were euthanized to prevent further spread. The goats were identified as Molly, Maggie, Cow, and Uno.
Farm Adventures stated, "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." The baby goats were kept in a separate pen from other animals at the petting zoo.
According to Farm Adventures, the goats were too young to receive vaccinations when a skunk entered their pen. While the skunk was removed, the petting zoo was unaware that the goats had been bitten. "They showed no sign or symptoms of rabies," the petting zoo said.
One of the goats was sent for a necropsy after a veterinarian investigated the situation. State health officials confirmed that several goats tested positive for rabies at the North Carolina State Laboratory of Public Health.
Farm Adventures expressed that the past few days have been very challenging for them. Rabies is a viral disease that can be fatal if medical care is not received before symptoms appear, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). The virus is primarily transmitted through bites or scratches from infected animals. Bats, skunks, raccoons, and foxes are the animals most commonly associated with rabies in the United States, as per the CDC.
The CDC estimates that approximately 100,000 Americans receive rabies vaccinations each year following potential exposure. Human rabies infections are very rare in the United States, with no reported cases in North Carolina since 2011, according to NCDHHS.