WATAUGA COUNTY, N.C. — AppHealthCare and UNC Health Appalachian are working closely together as part of the ongoing public health response to potential rabies exposures associated with a mobile petting zoo that visited communities across North Carolina. The North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services (NCDHHS) has confirmed rabies in multiple baby goats from Farm Adventures, a mobile petting zoo based in Harmony, North Carolina. According to NCDHHS, the animals may have been infectious while they were present at several off-site events between July 28 and August 27, 2026. One of the identified potential exposure locations was a private event in Watauga County on August 8. Known potential exposure dates and locations include: AppHealthCare and UNC Health Appalachian are working in close partnership to support timely clinical evaluation and access to rabies post-exposure prophylaxis (PEP) when recommended, based on the individual’s level of exposure with the infected goats. “Situations like this demonstrate why strong partnerships between public health and healthcare are so important,” said Jennifer Greene, Health Director/CEO, AppHealthCare. “Our role as the public health department is to identify people who may have been exposed, assess their risk and connect them with the appropriate care. Working closely with our healthcare partners helps ensure that people receive consistent information and timely access to treatment when it is needed.” “UNC Health Appalachian is committed to working alongside our public health partners to protect the health of the communities we serve,” said Nathan Nipper, President and CEO of UNC Health Appalachian. “When a potential rabies exposure occurs, coordination between public health and healthcare providers is essential to making sure individuals understand their risk and receive appropriate care.” AppHealthCare and UNC Health Appalachian are also coordinating the administration of rabies treatment (post-exposure prophylaxis (PEP)). UNC Health Appalachian will administer the first dose of treatment when indicated, while AppHealthCare will coordinate and oversee the administration of the remaining three doses. This coordinated approach allows individuals to receive timely initial care while ensuring follow-up doses are scheduled and administered in an outpatient clinical setting so as not to overwhelm the Emergency Department. AppHealthCare is communicating directly with individuals to let them know where to receive their remaining doses of treatment. Rabies is a serious and almost always fatal disease once symptoms develop, but infection can be prevented when appropriate post-exposure treatment is given before symptoms begin. Exposure can occur when saliva from an infected animal comes into contact with a bite, scratch, broken skin or mucous membranes. Anyone who had direct contact with the baby goats from Farm Adventures between July 28 and August 27, 2026, should contact their local health department as soon as possible for a risk assessment. Individuals should call before going to an emergency department or urgent care so that public health officials can determine whether treatment is needed and help direct them to the appropriate location for care. People who may have been exposed at the August 8 event in Watauga County should contact AppHealthCare at (828) 795-1970. If you need to reach AppHealthCare after-hours, call them and remain on the line to be connected to the on-call service. AppHealthCare and UNC Health Appalachian will continue to coordinate with local and state partners as the investigation continues and additional information becomes available. For the most current information about the investigation and identified exposure locations across the state, visit the North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services website. ### About AppHealthCare About UNC Health Appalachian Media Contacts: AppHealthCare Melissa Bracey, Director of Communications & Compliance melissa.bracey@apphealth.com UNC Health Appalachian Audrey Gurkin, Director of Marketing Audrey.Gurkin@unchealth.unc.edu
AppHealthCare is the local public health agency serving Alleghany, Ashe and Watauga counties. The agency works to protect and promote the health of individuals, families and communities through prevention, education, clinical services, environmental health and emergency preparedness and response.
UNC Health Appalachian is a regional health system serving the communities of northwest North Carolina. Through its hospitals, clinics and healthcare services, UNC Health Appalachian works to provide high-quality care and improve the health and well-being of the communities it serves.
© 2026 · AppHealthCare.com · Appalachian District Health Department
Leave a Reply
Your email is safe with us.
You must be logged in to post a comment.