West Seneca, NY (WBEN) The SPCA Serving Erie County says it is putting dog adoptions on pause because of dog pneumonia cases inside the facility. The SPCA says this is to protect both dogs there and at homes.
"We detected more than one case of dog pneumonia," says Gina Lattuca, who says the seriousness of the illness prompted the SPCA to pause dog adoptions until September 17.
Lattuca says the pause allows the SPCA to do two things. "It allows us to completely and thoroughly deep clean our environment to rid the shelter of this contagious illness. It also helps us protect animals who are in people's homes. This is a virus that can be brought home on shoes or clothing," explains Lattuca. She says she doesn't want to take a chance on any person walking around the shelter and unwittingly bringing the virus home.
Lattuca says the SPCA is trying to determine the strain of the pneumonia. "If this wasn't detected, if this was left untreated it could be dangerous. It's contagious to dogs and can affect their respiratory system," says Lattuca. "Because we detected it early, we are able do something about it. Right now, the majority of dogs doesn't look like they're suffering. But it allows us to keep a close eye and once we spot a dog with symptoms we can start treatment."
Lattuca says the matter will be re-evaluated next Friday.
