Pneumonia outbreak among dogs at Douglas County shelter leads to quarantine

DOUGLAS COUNTY, Ga. — The Douglas County Animal Shelter is currently under mandatory quarantine after several dogs came down with pneumonia.

They say that 14 dogs, which is slightly less than 10% of the dogs in the facility, got the illness.

The Georgia Department of Agriculture’s order comes after the shelter voluntarily closed on Tuesday to help stop the spread.

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The quarantine, which started on Thursday, is expected to last two weeks.

The facility will be closed to the public and no animals will enter or leave, except for those being reclaimed.

Animal Control will also operate on an emergency-only basis.

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“Our top priority is the health and welfare of the animals in our care. We are taking swift and comprehensive action to address this outbreak and prevent further spread within the shelter,” said Vanessa Francikowski, Douglas County Animal Services Director. “We are also working in unison with our shelter veterinarian and state veterinarian to address any further health concerns that may arise.”

No cats were affected and shelter staff are in good health, according to the shelter.

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