SPRINGDALE (KFSM) — The Springdale Animal Shelter resumed service on Monday after a discovery of two Canine Distemper Virus cases shut down the shelter for two weeks.
The shelter announced it was resuming normal hours as of Monday (May 6) and had 61 dogs ready to be adopted. The shelter did limit adoptions for now to families that either didn't have other dogs or had dogs over 5 months old that were current on their vaccinations.
"This is a precaution to keep your pets safe," the shelter said.
The dogs already spayed or neutered have had their adoption fees sponsored to approved adopters, the shelter said.
The shelter closed April 22 after two cases of the highly contagious CDV virus was found, then announced last week that its closure would continue through Friday. It was traced to a dog picked up March 15. The dog was given vaccinations upon arrival at the shelter, as per protocol, but CDV has an incubation period of 1-5 weeks after exposure until the initial symptoms show up.
Distemper is preventable but has no known cure. Symptoms include fever, nasal and eye discharge, lethargy, loss of appetite, coughing, vomiting and diarrhea.