Athens-Clarke County Animal Services, located at 125 Buddy Christian Way, will not accept owner-surrendered dogs until Tuesday, July 23 due to two confirmed cases of canine parvovirus and space constraints. The puppy area will also be closed to visitors during this time and some dogs in affected spaces may not be available for adoption until that time.
Canine parvovirus, or parvo, is a highly contagious virus that can affect all dogs, although unvaccinated dogs and puppies younger than four months old are the most at risk.
Two puppies, who were recently brought into the Adoption Center, tested positive for the virus on July 8, several days after their intake. Upon testing positive, Animal Services contacted the Georgia Department of Agriculture to report the results and removed the two puppies from the main housing area, which is undergoing a specialized cleaning process.
“Thanks to our shelter’s layout, testing capabilities, cleaning protocols and department policies, we can often minimize the impacts when a positive case occurs, but some operations do have to change temporarily when cases occur,” Animal Services Director Kristall Barber said in a press release.
Stray dog intakes, owner reclaims of dogs, cat adoptions and all cat intakes will continue as normal due to separated areas at the facility.
“Our facility and animal shelters all over the country face the same challenges with animal viruses due to the numbers of stray and community animals that come through them,” Barber said. “Most of the time, these viruses are already present in animals prior to their arrival at the shelter, but symptoms and positive results don’t occur until after an incubation period and often not until they’ve been here a few days.”
Owners who reclaim dogs and residents adopting dogs will be advised of the presence of parvo elsewhere in the facility and should contact their vet immediately if their dog starts to act ill.
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