Aug. 31 (UPI) -- At least three baby goats at a North Carolina petting zoo have tested positive for rabies and a fourth is believed to have contracted the virus, state officials said over the weekend, as they warn those who have come into contact with the animals that they may have been exposed.
The North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services said in a statement it was first notified of a potential rabies exposure at Farm Adventures in Harmony on Thursday, and the North Carolina State laboratory of Public Health confirmed Saturday that three baby goats had contracted the virus. A fourth has not been tested but health officials assumed it had also been infected.
The officials said they believed the goats were exposed to rabies by a skunk that entered their pen in late July, and are warning anyone who had contact with the goats at its Harmony facility or its mobile petting zoo since then could have been exposed.
"Impacted individuals should contact their local health department to determine whether medications are needed to prevent infection," the NCDHHS said in a statement.
"Individuals are encouraged to call before visiting an emergency department or urgent care clinic to determine if treatment is needed and where it can be accessed."
