Taylor Animal Shelter temporarily closes after dog tests positive for parvo

The Taylor Animal Shelter has temporarily closed for at least a week after one of its dogs tested positive for a highly contagious viral disease, the city said Wednesday.

The shelter, located on Northline Road, east of Beech Daly Road, will be closed for up to two weeks while it's cleaned and visitors or new animals are prohibited. The city made the announcement on its website Wednesday afternoon, citing a dog being held there who tested positive for canine parvovirus (CPV) or parvo, a highly contagious viral disease of dogs that commonly causes acute gastrointestinal illness in puppies.

"The shelter will be closed from 10 to 14 days – no visitors or new animals will be allowed. The vet will return in seven days to evaluate the situation," the city said in a statement. "The disease most often strikes in pups between six and 20 weeks old, but older animals are sometimes also affected."

The dog, according to shelter officials, had been acting acting lethargic and had blood in its stool, prompting caregivers to place it into quarantine after tests returned positive for the virus. The shelter was then shut down and all residents and volunteers were mandated to leave the building immediately.

Currently, all animals except the afflicted dog remain at the animal safeguard, according to Karl Ziomek, director of marketing and communications for the city of Taylor. He said the dog was removed to a special vet who "was willing to treat the dog."

"With the animal in question isolated, the entire building is being cleaned. The animal has been removed from the shelter by the veterinarian for care," shelter officials said in a statement.

The shelter, according to Ziomek, currently houses 20 dogs and 22 cats. He said, "No other animal has shown any signs (of contraction) at this point," as shelter officials noted "This is a virus that is not contagious to cats," in a release.

An intake process that ensures all dogs taken into the shelter are vaccinated against parvo with the canine distemper-adenovirus type 2-parainfluenza parvovirus vaccine was implemented after a similar situation occured a few years ago when a dog with parvo made its way into the shelter, Ziomek said.

"We're not seeing any spreading of that disease currently among the other animals."

Ziomek, however, didn't have details on how the afflicted dog contracted the virus.

The Taylor Animal Shelter, according to its website, provides services, including animal adoptions, lost and found animal intaking, licensing, animal rescue within the city and responding to residential complaints of neglected and loose animals. It has been in operation since 1995, Ziomek said.

jaimery@detroitnews.com

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