Animal shelter closes temporarily after canine outbreaks

LANSING, Mich. (WLNS) — Animals in Genesee County are experiencing an outbreak of distemper and parvovirus , and the county animal shelter is closed while officials work to contain the spread of the canine diseases.

“With the safety of over 250 animals at the forefront, Genesee County will take swift action to contain the spread,” officials said in a social media post .

Genesee County Animal Control confirmed that the illnesses have stemmed from strays who have come in to the shelter, and that the symptoms started appearing after the five-day quarantine period.

“Even with all animals getting intake shots when brought to the shelter, this gives them limited protection but does not stop some symptoms of the virus or the shedding of the virus to other animals. It does, however, assist in keeping the virus from becoming lethal,” they said.

The shelter is still running some of its operations during the closure, Animal Control Director Jay Parker told ABC-12 News in Flint. However, they’re not currently letting people bring in stray animals to the shelter.

Genesee County has been experiencing an increase in its animal population, alongside that of sick and neglected animals–an issue that animal shelters and communities across the country are experiencing in recent years.

The prolonged shutdowns during the COVID-19 pandemic, along with rising costs of living, have contributed to the overcrowding of animal shelters.

Officials said the public can help fight the outbreak in two two different ways:

• Ensure that animals are vaccinated against disease, and seek prompt medical treatment for sick animals. “This is a basic responsibility of pet ownership, and neglect of doing so could be considered criminal neglect,” Genesee County officials said in the post.
• If you find a stray, first look close to home for the animal’s owner and, if you can, hold on to the animal for a few days. In some cases, the animal’s owner may be more likely to see it in your yard than at the animal shelter. Also, post on Facebook or a local neighborhood web page for the owner.

For the time being, officials said, residents should contact other limited-intake shelters in Genesee County.

“We will reopen to the public as soon as we can get this medical emergency under control and keep infected animals quarantined from animals coming into the shelter,” Genesee County officials said in the post.

For more information, you can call Genesee County Animal Control at 810-732-1660.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WLNS 6 News.