Outbreak of Distemper forces shelter shutdown in Miami

[sixmile]

http://www.miamiherald.com/2011/03/25/2133128/several-animal-services-temporarily.html

'Unable to control a highly contagious canine virus, the county-run animal shelter is closing its doors to dogs and scrambling to find homes for the ones that remain.
Distemper, an air-borne, measles-like disease that is particularly deadly to puppies, has contaminated the 50-year-old building used by Miami-Dade Animal Services.
“The only way to stop the disease from spreading is to stop intake,’’ said Dr. Sara Pizano, Animal Services director. “We need a break to clean up the facility.’
On Friday, dozens of dogs in crates or on leashes filled the lobby waiting for their new owners to fill out paper work. More than 60 rescue groups from across the nation – and many individuals – have stepped up to find foster homes for the dogs. The shelter is waiving canine adoption fees.'

snip

'Under county law, the shelter is required to accept any cat or dog brought to it, regardless of the animal’s condition or number of animals already at the shelter.
Animals coming into the shelter are often kept for five to seven days before being euthanized. Last year, more than 20,000 of the 36,000 cats and dogs that entered the county shelter were put down.'


Folks, take your unwanted pets to a NO KILL shelter, please. Then promise yourself never to have a pet again. The animals thank you.

[tabasco]

1. Oh no.

I hope they can get it sterilized and up and running again soon.

I'm sure they divert as many animals as possible to no-kill shelters.

Unfortunately, there's limited resources and many animals must be euthanized, due to STUPID HUMANS.

[sixmile]

2. I hope so

They certainly didn't do anything to deserve an early death.

[Raine]

3. Well I will keep have pets as long as the unwanted

need a home, I can't turn them away.

[adigal]

4. I LOVE your last line!!!

I run a dog rescue, and people where I rescue from mostly the south, bring dogs to the shelter for the stupidest reasons I have ever heard!! And I guarantee that they are the same a-holes who vote Republican down there.

I know most "shelters" in North and South Carolina have 80% kill rates, but I didn't realize Miami was that bad. Robeson, NC, is the worst I know of, with Gaston a close second. Robeson was heartsticking without anesthesia, and I got the sweetest dogs out of there. A miracle, really, they killed 92% one recent year. The guy who runs the shelter's name is Albert Locklear, and I would call him and ask him why they wouldn't work with rescues, or at least kill more humanely, and he just dismissed me every time. Ugh. I pray for the animals every night, and for the owners who dump them at shelters - I pray God takes care of them. Or Karma. Either would work.

[sixmile]

5. Albert Locklear has a special place in hell

for his crimes against nature. My bile is rising reading those kill percentages.