Farm Adventures Rabies Warning Expands Across North Carolina

North Carolina health officials have expanded their warning about rabies in baby goats from the Farm Adventures mobile petting zoo. The state now lists events in Boone, Hickory, Durham, Statesville, Charlotte, Mocksville and Lexington, along with the Farm Adventures site in Harmony, as places where contact may have occurred.

The North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services says several goats tested positive through the State Laboratory of Public Health. People who touched or held the baby goats between July 28 and August 27 should call their local health department. Public health staff can review the type and timing of contact and explain whether preventive treatment is needed.

Boone and Hickory are among the identified events

The state exposure list includes a private event in Boone on August 8 and a private event in Hickory on August 9. Because both were private gatherings, the public notice does not identify a family, host or attendee. Buddylio is not publishing details that could identify people who may have attended.

Other listed events include Community Connections Back to School Bash at Breeden Amphitheater in Lexington on August 1 and a community event at the Masonic Picnic Grounds in Mocksville on August 15. Private events were also listed in Durham, Charlotte and Statesville, while two assisted living communities in Statesville were named by the state.

The exposure window covers one month

The official window begins July 28 and ends August 27. The alert is based on possible direct contact with the affected goats, not simply being in the same county or driving past an event. That distinction is why officials are asking people to call before deciding for themselves whether an encounter created a risk.

NCDHHS said a skunk had been seen in the goat pen in late July. Farm Adventures identified four affected goats as Molly, Maggie, Cow and Uno. The goats were euthanized after the diagnoses, and the remaining animals at the site were placed under precautionary quarantine, according to public reporting.

What people who attended should do

A person who had direct contact with the baby goats during the listed period should call a local health department as soon as possible. Calling first allows public health staff to assess the encounter and direct the person to care if treatment is recommended. This article cannot determine whether any individual exposure requires treatment.

Rabies is preventable when appropriate care begins before symptoms develop, but it is fatal once symptoms start. People should not wait for an illness to appear before reporting a possible exposure. Anyone who was bitten or scratched should also follow the instructions given by medical and public health professionals.

The location list may still change

State officials said they were still gathering and verifying event details when the updated list was published. Additional locations or corrections may therefore appear. The NCDHHS exposure page is the authoritative place to check for changes rather than relying on an older social post or news summary.

Buddylio will update this page if North Carolina officials add a material new exposure location or change their public guidance. Readers can find additional verified alerts in Buddylio's Animal News coverage.

How we reported this: Buddylio reviewed the named sources, checked the organizations and figures shown above, and added context for animal lovers. Any illustration is labeled and does not depict the actual animals or scene. This report was checked on August 30, 2026. North Carolina officials said the exposure list could change as event details were verified. Articles are editorial content, not veterinary advice.