A rabies scare that started with four baby goats at a small North Carolina petting-zoo business has led health departments to evaluate hundreds of people across the state, after the goats were confirmed or presumed positive for the virus in late August 2026.
Key facts
- What happened: Rabies was confirmed or presumed in four baby goats used at a mobile petting zoo, Farm Adventures, based in Harmony, Iredell County, owned by Misty Love
- When confirmed: The North Carolina State Laboratory of Public Health confirmed rabies in three of the four goats on Aug. 28, 2026
- Where the goats appeared: 10 public and private events across North Carolina between July 28 and Aug. 27
- How many people have been evaluated: 284 people had been evaluated by local health departments as of a Sept. 4 update; others consulted health care providers directly outside that count, and 213 were recommended to receive post-exposure shots
- Risk level: Only people who fed, held or bottle-fed the goats at those specific events are considered at risk — the broader public is not
- Context: North Carolina has not recorded a human rabies case since 2011
How the outbreak started
The goats belonged to Farm Adventures, a mobile petting zoo based in Harmony, in Iredell County, owned by Misty Love. According to Love, one goat died Aug. 19 and a second became ill and was euthanized the next day. The North Carolina State Laboratory of Public Health confirmed rabies in three of the four goats on Aug. 28, 2026; the fourth had already died and was not tested, but is presumed infected based on its symptoms and its exposure to the others. All four goats have since died or been euthanized.
Investigators believe a wild skunk got into the goats’ enclosed pen in late July 2026. The young goats were kept separately from the rest of the farm’s animals because they were too young to be vaccinated against rabies, according to Love. The skunk was never tested for rabies — Love says farm personnel killed it at the time, but that account has not been independently confirmed. Officials say no other animals on the property are considered a rabies risk.
Timeline
- Late July 2026 — Investigators believe a wild skunk got into the goats’ enclosed pen at the farm in Harmony.
- July 28 — The goats appear at Jurney’s Assisted Living, Statesville, Iredell County.
- July 30 — A private event in Mecklenburg County.
- Aug. 1 — Community Connections Back-to-School Bash, Lexington, Davidson County.
- Aug. 6 — Brookdale Peachtree, a senior facility also in Statesville.
- Aug. 8 — A private event in Watauga County.
- Aug. 9 — A private event in Burke County.
- Aug. 15 — Masonic Picnic Grounds, Mocksville, Davie County.
- Aug. 16 — A private event in Durham County.
- Aug. 19 — One goat dies.
- Aug. 20 — A second goat becomes ill and is euthanized.
- Aug. 22 — A private event in Iredell County.
- Aug. 23 — A second private event in Durham County.
- Aug. 28 — The state lab confirms rabies in three of the four goats.
- Sept. 4 — Update: 284 people evaluated, 213 recommended for post-exposure shots.
Who’s at risk
Anyone who fed, held or bottle-fed the goats at one of these events during that window is considered at potential risk.
How many people have been checked
As of a Sept. 4 update, 284 people had been evaluated by local health departments for possible exposure, with others consulting health care providers directly outside that count; 213 of them were recommended to receive post-exposure prophylaxis — a series of shots that is highly effective when given before symptoms start. One North Carolina mother said her 4-year-old son had hand-fed the goats at the Mocksville event in mid-August and has since started the vaccine series.
Is the wider public at risk
Health officials say the broader public is not at risk — only people who had direct contact with the goats at those specific events need to be evaluated. No human rabies cases have been linked to this incident, and North Carolina has not recorded a human rabies case since 2011. Officials urge people who may have had contact with the goats to get checked quickly because post-exposure treatment must begin before symptoms start.
Symptoms and what to do
Early rabies symptoms in people look like the flu — weakness, fever, headache, and a prickling or itching feeling at the spot of contact — but they can take weeks or even months to show up. That delay is exactly why health officials are urging anyone who might have touched the goats to get evaluated now, rather than waiting for a reason to worry. Anyone who thinks they had contact with the goats should call their local health department to find out if the preventive shots are recommended for them, and call ahead before going to an emergency room or urgent care.
Rabies risk in North Carolina
In 2025, about 6% of the more than 4,000 animals tested for rabies statewide in North Carolina came back positive, according to the state health department.
The farm’s response
Love told CNN and WSOC-TV that she, her staff and her surviving animals have received rabies booster shots, and that she is cooperating with health officials. She described the loss of the goats as devastating, calling them her “life,” and said her business has faced heavy criticism online even though she reported the exposure. There has been no report of Farm Adventures facing fines, a lawsuit or any other regulatory action over the incident, and it isn’t clear whether the business has resumed its usual schedule of events.
Sources and further reading
- NCDHHS Confirms Rabies at Mobile Petting Zoo (Division of Public Health blog mirror)
- Rabies Alert: Potential Exposure at Local Mobile Petting Zoo
- Press Release: Rabies Exposure Alert Linked to Mobile Petting Zoo Events
- NCDHHS Confirms Rabies at Mobile Petting Zoo
- Potential Rabies Exposure Alert: Mobile Petting Zoo
- NCDHHS Shares New Details About Rabies at Mobile Petting Zoo
- NCDHHS Shares New Details About Rabies at Mobile Petting Zoo