Petting zoos are great places for families to learn about animals and nature. Contracting a disease like rabies is probably the furthest thing from visitors' minds.
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However, recent guests at a North Carolina petting zoo are now discovering they may have been exposed to the potentially fatal disease.
Four Goats at a Petting Zoo Tested Positive for Rabies
As PEOPLE reports, the North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services (NCDHHS) announced a possible rabies exposure in a press release issued on Saturday, Aug. 29.
"NCDHHS and the NC Department of Agriculture & Consumer Services were first notified of a potential rabies exposure among four baby goats at Farm Adventures on Aug. 27," the message read. "The goats were most likely exposed to rabies by a skunk that had entered the pen where they were kept in late July."
"The NC State Laboratory of Public Health confirmed rabies virus in three of the baby goats on Aug. 28," it added. It also shared a fourth goat was not tested but was assumed to have been infected.
No other animals at the petting zoo pose a risk of rabies exposure to visitors, the NCDHHS also shared.
The Virus Was Possibly Exposed Across 10 Locations
Farmhouse Adventures also shared the news in a Facebook post shared on Aug. 28. It said Molly, Maggie, Cow, and Uno were then euthanized to stop the spread of the disease.
"We want to be transparent about this distressing event," the post read. "We will be closely monitoring our remaining animals under the guidelines provided by health officials."
The petting zoo, located in Iredell County, said the affected goats "showed no signs or symptoms of rabies."
"The baby goats were kept in a separate pen, away from the others, and were too young to receive their vaccinations," the post continued. "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 virus was potentially exposed across 10 locations from July 28 to Aug. 23, according to the NCDHHS press release.
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, rabies affects the central nervous system. It is spread through bites and scratches and is also potentially fatal.
