GEARY COUNTY, Kan. (WIBW) -- A local shelter has reopened after several dogs came down with a dangerous and highly contagious virus.
Lisa Junghans, the director of the Junction City/Geary County Animal Shelter, said four puppies were dropped off on July 27, 2012 and they seemed healthy. After being evaluated and vaccinated, they were placed in the general dog population. A few days passed and the pups, a boxer/lab mix, started to get sick. They ended up testing positive for the parvovirus.
Without the resources to treat the dogs at the shelter, the four puppies were euthanized, along with another sick puppy, a Shar-Pei mix, that was being housed in the cage next to theirs.
As a result of the virus, the shelter quarantined 35 dogs, closing its canine population to the public for two weeks as staff members continuously sanitized the building and monitored the dogs for any symptoms in an effort to control and eradicate the disease. Patrons could still drop off and adopt cats and other pets besides dogs during the incubation period.
Junghans said no other cases of the virus emerged during the quarantine and shelter reopened for dog adoptions on Monday, August 20, 2012.
She says the shelter cannot take any animal surrenders from dog owners right now since the facility has reached its full capacity for dogs and still must accept stray dogs that are brought in by Animal Control.