Shelter Begs for Help Rehoming 62 Dogs to Avert Spread of Deadly Virus

A Tennessee animal shelter has issued a plea for help in rehoming over 60 dogs after a canine in the facility tested positive for Canine Distemper Virus (CDV).

Memphis Animal Services took to social media on August 14 to ask for help in adopting, fostering, or rescuing as many as 41 dogs and puppies who were exposed to the canine that tested positive for CDV.

A post shared to Facebook said the rescue workers need all of the dogs out from the shelter before the incubation period for the virus ends. This is to prevent compromising the entire population, which would likely lead to the facility being temporarily shut down.

A spokesperson for Memphis Animal Services told Newsweek: "This is not specific to Memphis—shelters around the country are dealing with distemper, even shelters that do not typically see it. This virus and many others are in the community, which is why annual vaccines are so important for your pet's health. Sixty-two dogs were exposed to the CDV-positive dog of our 200-plus dogs at the shelter, and we are still seeking outcomes for 33 of the 62 exposed dogs."

The positive CDV test result came from a dog who came to Memphis Animal Services on August 9. He was symptomatic upon intake and was tested the following day. Thanks to changes to shelter protocol following a distemper outbreak last June, staff were able to contact-trace and identify which dogs have been exposed to him.

Highly contagious through inhalation, there is a high mortality rate among dogs with CDV. Cornell Wildlife Health Lab in Ithaca, New York, says that 50 percent of adult dogs and 80 percent of puppies die after contracting the virus.

Common symptoms include high fever, eye inflammation, breathing difficulties, dehydration, excessive salivation, coughing, nose or eye discharge, loss of appetite, lethargy, vomiting and diarrhea.

While a number of vaccines are available to dogs, experts say that any canine infected or potentially infected with the virus should be quarantined from other pups for several months due to the length of time the animal may shed the virus.

As such, Memphis Animal Services has been keen to stress that all of the dogs in need of rehoming go somewhere where they can live, for the time being, away from other canines.

The spokesperson said: "Similarly to COVID-19 in humans, transmission occurs when virus particles are shed from an infected dog, typically in respiratory secretions, but also in urine, vomit or feces. Virus can become aerosolized into a mist when a dog coughs or sneezes and can travel as far as 20 feet from the infected dog."

The spokesperson added: 'We do not have an outbreak right now, but we are taking preventive action for the health and safety of our dog population before any of the exposed dogs potentially start to shed the virus."

More than half of the dogs in need of rehoming have been successfully moved on, including two adorable puppies, Sonya and Pixley. The animals were described by their previous foster owners as affectionate, lovable, and cuddly.

With more dogs still in need of homes, anyone interested in helping out is being encouraged to head to the Memphis Animal Services website or email mas@memphistn.gov.

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