SPOKANE VALLEY, Wash. — Animal shelters across Spokane County are grappling with the spread of highly contagious diseases that have forced facilities to halt operations and implement emergency protocols.
SCRAPS, the region’s animal protection service, announced it will suspend dog adoptions for at least two weeks in response to a deadly parvovirus outbreak that has already claimed the lives of four dogs from the facility.
The shelter first discovered parvovirus in one of its dogs on December 10th, according to Ronnie Schlabs, regional director of SCRAPS. The virus spreads through feces and contaminated surfaces and affects unvaccinated dogs.
“Unfortunately, only the one that the vet took on has survived,” Schlabs said.
Parvovirus is known to be incredibly contagious and can survive in environments like lawns or shelter floors for up to two years. While SCRAPS hopes to reopen adoptions in two weeks, that timeline could be extended depending on the outbreak’s progression.
The facility has implemented strict quarantine measures for all adult dogs and expanded its sanitizing protocols. Cats and puppies remain available for adoption since they are not affected by parvovirus.
“We’re crossing our fingers with our cleaning protocols and onboard vaccines that the animals already have, that nobody else becomes ill,” Schlabs said.
The outbreak presents additional challenges for a shelter already operating close to capacity. SCRAPS has limited intakes to emergency cases only due to the virus’s highly transmittable nature.
“It presents a whole new challenge because we are operating pretty much at capacity right now,” Schlabs said.
The parvovirus outbreak comes just days after another major shelter in the area, SpokAnimal, closed due to a different respiratory illness. Schlabs confirmed the diseases are unrelated.
Parvovirus is preventable through vaccination, but treatment can be costly and difficult. The virus primarily affects unvaccinated dogs and can be fatal without prompt veterinary care.
“It’s very nasty to have to treat. It can be very expensive to treat. So if you do have a dog, please make sure they’re up on all their vaccines,” Schlabs said.
SCRAPS urges pet owners who have recently adopted dogs to schedule veterinary appointments, as follow-up vaccines are recommended every few years until dogs reach a certain age.
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