The Delaware Division of Public Health is asking the public to make every effort to reunite stray dogs with their owners as animal shelters and rescues struggle to find space amid a severe respiratory illness outbreak.
"The impact on local shelters from the outbreak is significant," a news release from the division said Tuesday.
Canine Infectious Respiratory Disease Complex, commonly known as kennel cough, began spreading among Delaware shelter and rescue dogs in June, "causing upper and lower respiratory signs and death," State Veterinarian Karen Lopez wrote in a control order issued Friday. Symptoms include lethargy, lack of appetite, fever, clear or green nasal and/or ocular discharge, cough, vomiting and difficulty breathing.
"We are not dealing with the uncomplicated version of CIRDC but the complicated, systemic version of this illness," Department of Agriculture spokesperson Stacey Hofmann said. ""Many of these animals are very sick, with some requiring veterinary emergency care."
Over 55 dogs are sick and two have died, Hofmann said. The outbreak has so far spread among three Delaware animal shelters and one private rescue, while another shelter has treated affected outpatient dogs.
The outbreak prompted Lopez to issue a control order Friday, prohibiting shelter and rescue dogs from coming into or going out of the state and requiring shelters and rescues to submit outbreak-related reports to the state. The order said the outbreak involves "multiple pathogens," including the bacteria mycoplasma cynos, and Hofmann later added adenovirus and canine influenza.
Background:Kennel cough outbreak leads Delaware to prohibit dogs from being moved in or out of state
How it's affecting shelters
After closing last week due to a "severe respiratory outbreak," a Humane Animal Partners Facebook post said Monday a "double strain of canine influenza" had been diagnosed at the nonprofit's Wilmington facility. Thirty dogs are being treated, the post said, with multiple dogs being cared for at Blue Pearl Animal Hospital.
Dog intakes and adoptions are suspended at the Wilmington facility until further notice. None of the nonprofit's other locations are affected.
Humane Animal Partners has ordered canine influenza vaccines, the post said. Delaware's contracted animal shelter, Brandywine Valley SPCA, began administering canine influenza vaccines to all their dogs Tuesday, spokesperson Sara Smith said.
"We also have reviewed and revamped all of our cleaning protocols to prevent the spread of any illness," Smith said, but she noted the rate and severity of respiratory illnesses at Brandywine isn't any higher than usual.
Two other Delaware animal shelters have been affected by the outbreak. First State Animal Center and SPCA in Dover "closed to the public" Saturday, according to a Facebook post, "to protect your animals at home and protect our animals in the shelter."
Faithful Friends in New Castle posted on Facebook July 7 that the organization is closed to dog adoptions and intakes due to a respiratory illness.
How to help animal shelters
If you find a stray dog, before contacting Delaware Animal Services or Brandywine Valley SPCA, the Division of Public Health asks citizens do the following:
- Walk around the neighborhood and check with people outside.
- Check with neighbors.
- Post the dog on the State Lost and Found Pet Registry.
- Post the dog on Facebook, Nextdoor and other social media.
Otherwise, the best ways to help all animal shelters and rescues are to adopt, foster or donate. Humane Animal Partners has an Amazon wish list, as well.
"We are still open for adoptions. We have plenty of healthy animals that are still looking for homes and we really do need the community to come and consider adopting," Brandywine's Smith said.
Shannon Marvel McNaught reports on southern Delaware and beyond. Reach her at smcnaught@gannett.com or on Twitter @MarvelMcNaught.
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