Rabies Exposure at North Carolina Petting Zoo Sparks Concern

Last Friday, Rebecca Lanning received an alarming call about her 4-year-old son being exposed to rabies during a family day out. On August 15, the family visited a dinosaur exhibit in Mocksville, North Carolina, which included food trucks, carnival games, and a petting zoo. During their visit, her son interacted with baby goats at the petting zoo.

Lanning’s son, whose name has been withheld, may have been exposed to rabies when feeding the goats by hand. “I didn’t think anything of it until Friday, when his aunt called me and was like, ‘Hey, we have a situation,’” said Lanning, 30, from Marion. The North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services announced that three baby goats at the zoo tested positive for rabies, and a fourth was suspected. These animals have been euthanized.

Following the news, Lanning immediately took her son to receive the first two of six necessary rabies vaccine shots. These vaccinations are referred to as post-exposure prophylaxis, used to prevent the virus before symptoms appear. Rabies infections, which can be transmitted through the saliva of rabid animals via scratches or bites, are almost always fatal once symptoms begin because the disease attacks the brain and spinal cord. The vaccine has nearly a 100% success rate if administered promptly.

Lanning reflected on her concerns: “My fear is that if he was feeding the goats, and he’s 4, who’s to say that he didn’t touch his mouth or eyes?” To date, Lanning’s son has received three vaccinations with three more required.

It takes weeks to months after exposure to rabies for symptoms to start, often mirroring flu-like symptoms such as weakness, fatigue, fever, and headaches. Some may also experience a “prickling or itching sensation” at the exposure site, according to health officials.

The North Carolina Health Department has not yet determined how many people were exposed to the infected goats. The goats belonged to Farm Adventures, a mobile petting zoo that participated in events across North Carolina from July 28 to August 23, including private events, birthday parties, and even an assisted living center.

Farm Adventures has reported that their goats, which were too young to receive rabies vaccinations, may have contracted the virus from a skunk that entered their pen. Skunks, along with bats, raccoons, and foxes, are common rabies carriers.

Efforts are underway to ensure access to rabies post-exposure prophylaxis for anyone potentially exposed. Rabies cases appear to be increasing in the U.S. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention notes that 1.4 million Americans are monitored annually for possible exposure, with around 100,000 receiving post-exposure shots.