One of the rescues close to us (Also in NC) adopted out a puppy that turned out to have rabies. Apparently they didn't vaccinate the little bugger. I cringe when I think of all the people who could have been exposed through adoptions days.
Before that, our shelter used to occasionally adopt out an animal too young for the shot, provided it could be fixed early enough. That was the end of that, now everything leaves with a rabies.