Four baby goats from an Iredell County mobile petting zoo tested positive for rabies after a public event at Breeden Amphitheater in Lexington on August 1, 2026, prompting health officials to set up a dedicated call center for potential public exposure risk assessments.
Public Health Warning Issued for Lexington Event Attendees
Public health authorities in Davidson County have issued an urgent advisory following the confirmation of rabies in four young goats. The animals participated in a petting zoo at the Community Connections event held on August 1, 2026, at the Breeden Amphitheater in Lexington.
Rabies is transmitted through the saliva of an infected animal. Because of this mode of transmission, officials identified a specific group at risk. Anyone who attended the event and held a baby goat, or whose family member held a baby goat, may have been exposed and should contact the department for a risk assessment. The Davidson County Health Department established a dedicated call center at 336-242-2371 to assist potentially exposed individuals.
How the Baby Goats Contracted Rabies
The mobile petting zoo involved, Farm Adventures based in Iredell County, was identified by the N.C. Department of Health and Human Services as the source of several rabies cases found in baby goats this summer. State health officials confirmed that the business held off-site events involving children and elderly individuals across multiple counties between July 28 and August 27. Anyone who had contact with baby goats from Farm Adventures either at their location in Harmony or at an off-site event within that timeframe has been instructed to contact their local health department.
According to social media statements released by the organization, the four affected animals—named Molly, Maggie, Cow and Uno—were kept in a separate pen, away from the others, and were too young to receive their vaccinations.
“The affected animals, our four precious baby goats, have been euthanized to prevent further spread,” the zoo said in a Facebook post. “We will be closely monitoring our remaining animals under the guidelines provided by health officials.”
Farm Adventures, Iredell County mobile petting zoo
The business explained the incident on social media, noting:
“We unfortunately encountered a skunk in their pen, which we promptly removed and disposed of. However, during this process, the skunk was able to bite the goats.”
Farm Adventures, Iredell County mobile petting zoo
Animals Euthanized as Investigation Continues
To prevent any further spread of the virus, the goats were euthanized. Farm Adventures stated that these past few days have been incredibly difficult, expressing appreciation for public understanding and support during a challenging time, while noting that the health department would be reaching out to those in contact with the affected animals.
This investigation is ongoing, and state and local health officials indicated that additional information about potential exposure locations at public events will be released once available.
Understanding Rabies Risks and Preventive Medicine
Rabies is a deadly disease that can spread from wild animals to pets and people, primarily through a bite, scratch, or when infected saliva touches broken skin or mucous membranes. Human rabies infections are extremely rare in the United States, and no human cases have been reported in North Carolina since 2011. However, rabies is almost always fatal in mammals, including people, unless medications to prevent infections are given before symptoms develop.
When diagnosing animals, rabies testing requires that the animal be euthanized, as there are no approved methods for antemortem rabies testing of animals. Specimens are submitted to a qualified laboratory for testing using a full cross-section of tissue from both the brain stem and cerebellum. In the United States, test results are typically available within 24 to 72 hours after a specimen is received by the laboratory. Suspected rabies exposure requires urgent medical attention, though most people can delay post-exposure prophylaxis until test results return.
Next Steps and Operational Hours for the Call Center
Health authorities urge anyone who interacted with baby goats from the Harmony-based mobile setup between July 28 and August 27 to take immediate action by contacting professionals.
The Davidson County Health Department Call Center at 336-242-2371 was scheduled to remain open on Friday, Aug. 28, 2026, until 8 p.m., and on Saturday, Aug. 29, 2026, from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Health officials stated that additional information would be released if the call center is needed on Sunday.
