Rabies Exposure Incident at North Carolina Petting Zoo

Rebecca Lanning received a distressing call last Friday about her 4-year-old son. He had been exposed to rabies during a family trip. The incident occurred at a dinosaur exhibit in Mocksville, North Carolina, on August 15. The event included food trucks, carnival games, and a petting zoo. Her son, whose name is withheld, fed baby goats by hand there.

“I didn’t think anything of it until Friday, when his aunt called me and was like, ‘Hey, we have a situation,’” recounted Lanning, 30, residing in Marion.

Three baby goats at the zoo tested positive for rabies, announced the North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services on Friday. A fourth goat was also suspected to have the disease. All affected goats were euthanized.

Lanning quickly took her son to a doctor for treatment. The boy started the rabies vaccination series, receiving the first two of six shots. This treatment, known as post-exposure prophylaxis, is crucial to prevent the onset of rabies after exposure. Rabies is fatal once symptoms appear as it impacts the brain and spinal cord. The vaccine is nearly 100% effective if administered before symptoms start.

Rabies can spread through contact with the saliva, scratches, or bites from an infected animal. Lanning expressed concern stating, “My fear is that if he was feeding the goats, and he’s 4, who’s to say that he didn’t touch his mouth or eyes? I don’t want to bury my child.”

The young boy has so far received three shots in the vaccination series, with three more to follow. Rabies symptoms may emerge weeks or even months after exposure, often resembling flu-like symptoms such as weakness, fatigue, fever, and headaches. The North Carolina health department also notes a possible “prickling or itching sensation” around the site of contact.

No exact number of exposed individuals has been confirmed by the health department. The goats belonged to Farm Adventures, a mobile petting zoo in North Carolina. They featured at events from July 28 to August 23. In addition to Mocksville, the goats attended private events, including birthday parties and a “back-to-school bash,” and visited an assisted living center.

Farm Adventures has yet to comment, but a Facebook post suggests the goats were infected by a skunk that entered their pen. Skunks, along with bats, raccoons, and foxes, are common rabies carriers.

The state health department assures cooperation with local health bodies to provide post-exposure prophylaxis to all in need.

Rabies cases in the U.S. appear to be increasing. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reports that 1.4 million Americans are monitored annually for potential exposure. Around 100,000 individuals receive post-exposure prophylaxis injections each year.