The Sampson County Animal Shelter is closed until at least Nov. 8 following two cases of the parvo virus.

The Sampson County Animal Shelter is closed until at least Nov. 8 following two cases of the parvo virus.

The Sampson County Animal Shelter has temporarily suspended intakes and adoptions for a two-week period after two cases of the parvo virus were diagnosed in animals recently delivered to the shelter, county officials announced earlier this week.

“At the recommendation of Dr. William Oglesby, our shelter veterinarian, we will not intake or adopt out animals until at least November 8th,” Shelter Director Anna Ellis stated. “This will enable us to monitor the animals currently in our care and avoid unnecessary transmission of the virus to any new, potentially adoptable animals coming into our facility.”

Canine parvovirus (CPV) is a highly contagious viral disease of dogs that commonly causes acute gastrointestinal illness in puppies. The disease most often strikes in pups between 6 and 20 weeks old, but older animals are sometimes also affected.

“The parvovirus is extraordinarily hardy, and infected dogs can shed vast numbers of viruses, making it critical to fully disinfect an area once it has been exposed to an infected dog,” shelter officials explained in a press release.“The shelter follows strict cleaning protocols daily for disease control, but it will immediately utilize additional disinfection measures both for the facility and officer transport vehicles, as recommended by our shelter veterinarian.”

In addition to not being open during regular hours, the closure until at least Nov. 8 would mean that at least one of the shelter’s previously scheduled extended-hours days will have to be canceled or postponed. The shelter set two days in October, two days in November and two days in December on which it would stay open until 7 p.m.

The next one, which was slated for Nov. 2, will not happen, and it’s unclear whether it will be rescheduled. The others are set for Nov. 16, Dec. 7 and Dec. 21.

“We regret any inconvenience this may cause our citizens, but certainly encourage citizens to visit after this temporary period is over and adopt a new pet,” Ellis stated. “All of our incoming dogs are vaccinated for parvo as part of our standard operating practices, and this is a good reminder for pet owners to ensure their animals are vaccinated as well.”