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Rabid Baby Goats Send Health Officials Scrambling to Find Everyone Who Cuddled Them
Gizmodo • • general
Key Points:
- A rabies outbreak has been reported at the Farm Adventures mobile petting zoo in Iredell County, North Carolina, with at least four baby goats testing positive and subsequently euthanized.
- The outbreak is believed to have originated from a wild skunk that entered the goats' pen in late July, potentially exposing the animals to the virus despite no visible bites or sprays.
- The affected goats were too young to have received their rabies vaccinations, which are typically given between 12 weeks and six months of age, and the rest of the zoo’s animals are now quarantined and monitored.
- Officials urge anyone who interacted with the goats between July 28 and August 27, 2026, including visitors to the main location and traveling events, to contact their local health department for possible preventative treatment.
- Rabies is almost always fatal once symptoms appear, but timely post-exposure prophylaxis is highly effective in preventing the disease from developing.
