Catawba County Animal Shelter Abuse/Solutions

CATAWBA COUNTY - The Catawba County Animal Shelter will close its operations on Wednesday following the outbreak of a respiratory illness that is yet to be identified.
Officials say about 200 animals at the facility exposed to the illness will be euthanized.
Animal Services say extensive tests and treatment have been underway at the shelter and two animal virus labs.
%u201CWe have made this extremely difficult decision, in consultation with our contract veterinarian, to protect the health and safety of the total animal population of Catawba County,%u201D said Jay Blatche, Catawba County%u2019s Animal Services Manager.
%u201CThe action follows an increasing number of cases of an upper respiratory illness that continues to be seen in animals at the shelter.  The virus results in high fever, vomiting and diarrhea and has proven very difficult to treat.  Animal Services staff, in consultation with the shelter%u2019s veterinarian, have conducted extensive tests to determine the type of virus involved and its source.  A wide series of additional tests have been performed at renowned animal virus labs at Cornell University and Oklahoma State University and they have not been able to determine what kind of virus is present, necessitating the total sanitation of the shelter.%u201D
Catawba County will continue to provide Animal Control Services and the public will still be able to call the shelter to report dangerous situations involving animals.
A temporary shelter is being built near the permanent location to provide solace for animals. 
All regular adoptions have been temporarily suspended and the shelter will not accept animals until the sanitation is complete. 
The shelter is expected to reopen by September 7.
Blatche said overcrowded conditions in the shelter, which was opened in 1985, means that outbreaks are always a risk. 
The County%u2019s shelter does not have an area where incoming animals can be separated or treated away from the general population until their health and temperament is assessed prior to adoption.
The kennels in the shelter will undergo a thorough sanitization process that includes cleaning with bleach, detergent, and antimicrobial agents as well as pressure cleaning with hot water.
The entire shelter will be cleaned and the heating and air conditioning system will be cleaned and treated.

Catawba County Animal Shelter Abuse/Solutions.
Greetings,
To Whom It Concerns,
Back in July I had the misfortune of having my cat's taken away from me by animal control.Due to a call made by someone who didn't know anything about the situation.Three of my cat's died while in animal control's care.Two more died after they were returned to me.A female died in my arms.Due to bite wounds on her front paws from another cat.Which were left untreated and became infected.A male
that died a week later.From an upper respirtory infection.
That he and my other cat's caught from another animal at the shelter.
 The animal shelter already had this illness in the facility before they took my cat's.Didn't they notice that some of the animals were sick.If they did notice then why didn't they try to do something to contain it.So it didn't get out of control.I can tell you why they couldn't do what was needed.
 When the animal shelter was built back in 1985.It was built to hold only 70-80 animals.They have no way to quarantine any sick animals away from the healthy animals.
So the healthy ones don't get sick.Also the animal shelter is understaffed.
 So here are some solution's to help solve the problem.
They could do Fund Raiser's and ask for donation's.To build a bigger shelter with a Quarantine area.
They could ask people to volunteer at the shelter.To help clean out the kennel's to make sure the animals don't get sick.Also to help feed and water the animals.
 They could hire a in house vet to take care of the animals.So they don't have to call a vet when a animal gets sick.They could also start a foster program.To help adopt out the animals.But the main thing of all is they need more people on their staff.
 All animal control needs to do is go to the right people and ask for the funds that they need to get things done.
So why don't they ask for what they need.I'm sure that people would help.If animal control would ask.
 Please sign this petition in memory of my beloved cat's
Rustella,Road Runner,Snoopy,Rocky Road & Thomas.They are no longer with me.Also to try and help animal control to get the bigger shelter and staff that they need.So this doesn't ever happen again.


Thank You,
Angie Starling.

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