Health authorities in North Carolina issued a public health warning over potential rabies exposure after multiple baby goats at a mobile petting zoo tested positive for the virus. The North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services (NCDHHS) announced the outbreak following laboratory results confirming three baby goats at Farm Adventures in Harmony, located in Iredell County, tested positive for rabies on August 28. A fourth was presumed infected, though it had not been tested.
According to state health officials, the animals were likely exposed in late July when a skunk entered their pen. In a post on Facebook on Saturday, Farm Adventures explained that “the baby goats were kept in a separate pen, away from the others, and were too young to receive their vaccinations.” The company added that it “unfortunately encountered a skunk in their pen, which we promptly removed and disposed of. However, during this process, the skunk was able to bite the goats.” The farm said it had "no clue the goats had gotten bit" since they showed no signs of rabies.
No other animals on the farm are believed to have been affected, and they do not pose a risk of rabies exposure to people. An investigation into the case is ongoing. State and local health departments are urging anyone who had direct contact with baby goats at Farm Adventures—either at the facility or at off-site events between July 28 and August 27—to contact their local health department immediately.
Authorities have identified several public locations and dates where visitors may have been exposed: Health officials advise individuals who attended these events and interacted with the animals to call their health department or medical provider before visiting an urgent care clinic or emergency room to determine the appropriate preventative treatment. Rabies remains a fatal virus that attacks the central nervous system, though human cases are exceedingly rare in the United States. North Carolina has not recorded a human case since 2011, according to the NCDHHS.
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) reports that about 1.4 million Americans seek medical evaluation for potential exposure annually, with fewer than 10 deaths recorded each year due to robust prevention protocols. Wild animals—primarily raccoons, skunks, and foxes—pose a threat to three-quarters of the U.S. population. The CDC classifies skunks as a major rabies reservoir across the Midwest and West.
The virus spreads through infected saliva, typically via bites or scratches. While symptoms can take weeks or months to appear, early signs mimic the flu, such as weakness, fever or headache, and are often accompanied by irritation at the wound site. As the disease progresses, it takes one of two forms: While extremely dangerous and potentially fatal, rabies is preventable but requires vaccination or immediate medical attention after exposure, according to the CDC.
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