Baby Goats at NC Petting Zoo Prove Rabid

A traveling petting zoo in North Carolina is at the center of a rabies scare involving several baby goats, and state health officials want anyone who touched them to call in, reports CNN. Authorities say residents may have been exposed between July 28 and August 27 at up to 10 locations, including an assisted-living facility, back-to-school events, and community gatherings across multiple counties. "There is not a broad risk to the public—only those who attended events at the mobile petting zoo and were in close contact with the goats are at risk," officials said.

Lab tests confirmed rabies in three baby goats from Farm Adventures, with a fourth presumed infected; officials suspect a skunk that entered their pen in late July. The goats, too young to be vaccinated, have been euthanized. Health officials stress the risk is limited to people who had close contact with the goats and urge them not to wait for symptoms before seeking guidance on whether they need post-exposure treatment. "Rabies is almost always fatal in mammals, including people, unless medications to prevent infections are given before symptoms develop," warned the North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services, per the New York Times.