4 baby goats test positive for rabies at petting zoo in North Carolina

Four baby goats at a mobile petting zoo in North Carolina tested positive for rabies and were euthanized, prompting health officials to contact people who may have encountered them.

The North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services said it learned Thursday of a possible rabies exposure involving goats at Farm Adventures in Harmony. Laboratory testing confirmed the virus in three goats on Aug. 28. A fourth goat was not tested but was assumed to be infected.

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The goats were most likely exposed to rabies by a skunk that had entered the pen where they were kept in late July.

Officials said the goats most likely encountered rabies after a skunk entered their pen in late July. They are working with the farm and local health departments to identify exposure dates and locations. Anyone who had contact with the goats at the Harmony site or at an off-site event between July 28 and Aug. 27 was advised to speak with a health-care provider about whether preventive medication is needed.

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devastated

Event organizers are notifying attendees who may have encountered the goats at 10 events. Officials said no other animals at the farm pose a rabies exposure risk to visitors, but they will release more information about possible exposure locations as the investigation continues.

Farm Adventures owner Misty Love said she was “devastated” and told WSOC Now that the goats “are my life.” She also said they were not showing the traditional signs of rabies. Rabies can spread to people through the saliva of infected animals, usually through a bite, and can cause symptoms including fever, headache, nausea, confusion and difficulty swallowing.

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are my life