After euthanizing two dogs that caught parvovirus, the Animal Protective Foundation has determined that the rest of the dogs at its shelter are safe.
For three weeks, none of them have come down with the highly contagious virus. Beginning today, they will be released from quarantine and can be adopted.
The first dog became ill Feb. 10. It had been surrendered to the shelter just two weeks prior.
A second dog quickly became ill too. Both dogs were killed to prevent the spread of the virus, spokeswoman Marguerite Pearson said.
Although parvovirus is not deadly, infected dogs must receive fluids and antibiotics for up to 10 days. If they survive, they remain contagious for two months, she said. They must be kept in complete isolation during that time.
“We don’t have an isolation center,” she said. “In a veterinary hospital, that might be possible. It can be treated. We couldn’t do that here.”
Instead, all 25 remaining dogs had to stay in their kennels during the incubation period. They could not leave, even one by one, because the slightest amount of fecal material on a paw could spread the virus to other dogs that walked the same path later.
She credited the shelter’s workers with keeping the virus at bay.
“It’s highly contagious, but our staff became obsessive about cleaning,” she said.
This morning, the dogs will be allowed outside for the first time in weeks. “It’s been hard on them,” Pearson said. “We’re happy they’ll be able to get out of their kennels and get some exercise.”
Adoption hours are from noon to 4:30 p.m.
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