UPDATE-Noon Thursday The Kanawha-Charleston Animal Shelter reopened Thursday at noon following a two-week closure after a distemper outbreak. As of Thursday’s reopening there were two dogs left of the original 40 that were up for adoption.
PREVIOUS Plans are to reopen the Kanawha-Charleston Animal Shelter Thursday following a break-out of distemper two weeks ago.
“Everything has been cleaned two and three times over so we’ve done a pretty good job of that,” shelter director Donna Clark said Wednesday.
The shelter first considered putting down 90 dogs but decided on quarantine after speaking with local veterinarians. Most of the impacted dogs were adopted out. Clark says about 13 had to be put down. She says there are four dogs left for adoption. She says all are male dogs and three are pit-bull mixes.
Clark says there are some lessons to be learned from the distemper outbreak and it has to do with vaccinations.
“If you have animals at home make sure they’re vaccinated,” Clark said. “You never know what you can carry home and what you can carry in here.”
Clark says the shelter will continue to emphasize those looking at the dogs at the shelter to refrain from petting one right after the other.
“They can come in and see the dogs, but like we always ask, please don’t put your fingers in the cages petting one and going on to the next one,” she said.
To see which animals are up for adoption, check out the Kanawha-Charleston Humane Association Facebook page.