Animal Advocacy Groups Issue Warning About Multiple Cases of Canine Parvovirus at Miami-Dade Animal Services

MIAMI, June 23, 2011 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- The Miami Coalition Against Breed Specific Legislation (MCABSL) and No Kill Nation are issuing a warning to the Miami-Dade community about a potential canine parvovirus issue at Miami-Dade Animal Services.

There have been reports of multiple dogs who have visited MDAS for medical services (or who have been adopted/pulled from the shelter)contracting parvovirus, and often dying shortly thereafter. Additionally, there are MDAS euthanasia logs from June 11, 2011 and June 15, 2011, that state at least one dog on each day was euthanized due to parvovirus.

Parvovirus is an extremely contagious, often fatal viral disease affecting canines. Symptoms include vomiting, severe diarrhea, and depression, often accompanied by high fever and loss of appetite.  Puppies are at the highest risk of contracting parvovirus, although vaccination can prevent the infection. Dogs that develop the disease generally show symptoms of the illness within 5 to 10 days. Infection is determined through various tests, and there are treatment options – but survival rates depend on how quickly the infection is caught. Cases caught in the later stages often require extensive hospitalization and are often fatal.

MCABSL and NKN are awaiting confirmation of this outbreak from insider sources, but given reports of multiple dogs dying after being exposed to shelter conditions – it's important that the public be aware of a potential issue now, before further time passes and more lives are lost.

On March 23, 2011, a distemper outbreak was announced by Miami-Dade Animal Services, and the rescue community was given an extremely short window of time to get animals out of the facility before a disinfection process began. However, signs of the outbreak were obvious to many rescue groups and adopters many months before it was announced. Dr. Sara Pizano, the shelter director, was well aware of these infectious conditions at MDAS months prior to the epidemic outbreak occurring and took no measures to either safeguard the general public or take prudent measures to prevent the crisis. In this case, signs of an issue with parvovirus are becoming clear, but it's important that the community know about the issue in advance as a cautionary measure. We don't want a repeat of this previous situation – so we will work to dispel rumors, and concentrate on documented cases of the disease.

Please remember to proceed with caution, and not to panic. While there are signs of an issue with parvovirus at the shelter, this is simply a preventative note – not an announcement about an official problem. At this time, it's best to remain calm, and to simply take precautionary measures when visiting the shelter, taking dogs from the shelter, or bringing dogs in for medical procedures. Please continue to pull and adopt dogs from MDAS, as they are in urgent need of rescue given the shelter's high kill rates.

SOURCE No Kill Nation