COLUMBUS- Officials at the Franklin County Dog Shelter say more dogs may also be put down more than 50 dogs were euthanized because at least one was found to have distemper, a deadly disease.
Shelter officials say a prolonged quarantine of the dogs would’ve been inhumane since they showed “severe signs of respiratory disease” as well as other physical, mental and emotional issues.
The dogs were euthanized over the weekend.
Distemper is a highly contagious and often fatal airborne canine virus.
The Board of Commissioners is aware of the respiratory infection outbreak at the Franklin County Dog Shelter, and has been closely monitoring the situation. County Administration and newly appointed Shelter Director Don Winstel acted quickly to assemble a team of the community’s best minds in both public health and veterinary medicine including consultants from The Ohio State University Veterinary Medical College, Capital Area Humane Society and Columbus Public Health. These experts are advising the Board and County administration on addressing the infectious disease outbreak, and have kept the media informed as we can confirm, without question, the facts of the situation. Shelter staff, medical staff and this team of experts continue to work to address the outbreak. The Commissioners rely on their expertise and that of the Director of Animal Care and Control to make decisions concerning animal welfare, and have asked administrators to provide updates to the public on this situation. Additionally, the Board, County Administration, and Director Winstel are launching, in consultation with these experts, a comprehensive review of existing infectious disease protocols to ensure that Franklin County is still in line with the nation’s best practices. –Statement by Franklin Co. Board of Commissioners
The shelter made the decision after consulting with a team of experts from Ohio State University’s College of Veterinary Medicine, the Capital Area Humane Society and Columbus Public Health.
The remaining dogs will have no contact with other animals and restricted contact with humans for four to six weeks. They won’t be available for adoption during that time.
The shelter says it’s reviewing how it takes in dogs to prevent future outbreaks.
According to a report in The Columbus Dispatch, distemper affects dogs’ respiratory and nervous systems. While symptoms can be treated, there is no cure. Dogs that do survive often have permanent damage to their nervous systems.
No vaccine is 100 percent effective, and before dogs build up their immunity to distemper with a booster shot, the newspaper reports that it is possible that the disease can be spread,
The virus is passed from dog to dog through direct contact with fresh urine, blood or saliva. Sneezing, coughing and sharing food and water bowls are all possible ways for the virus to be passed on, according to the website PetsWebMD.