HomeAnimal Rescue

Currituck Animal Shelter euthanizes 52 cats and kittens advocates cry foul

Currituck Animal Shelter euthanizes 52 cats and kittens advocates cry foul
Like Tweet Pin it Share Share Email

The Currituck Animal Shelter workers euthanized a total of 52 cats and kittens on July 8, stating every single cat was struggling from serious signs of a really contagious virus.

Currituck officers put out a statement about the incident Thursday just after the county’s SPCA posted a scathing narrative on Facebook about the mass euthanization, stating protocol wasn’t adopted.

“Due to a good offer of misinformation circulating on social media, such as personalized attacks on county personnel, Currituck County is supplying right information pertaining to this problem,” the assertion examine.

An outline on how this condition unfolded, according to the county:

  • In late June, the Animal Shelter sent cats to the Blessed Kitten Cat Rescue in Virginia Beach front and the Virginia Beach SPCA for guidance in receiving the animals adopted.
  • The Fortunate Kitten Cat Rescue contacted Currituck County with information that one particular of these cats was identified and displaying symptoms of Calicivirus.
  • The Virginia Beach SPCA turned down consumption on 4 of the 9 cats sent from Currituck for the reason that they displayed signs or symptoms of Calicivirus. For the reason that of that rejection, Currituck staff had to pick up the cats from VBSPCA and carry them back to the Currituck County Animal Shelter.
  • The returned cats, alongside with many others from the larger sized group that at first arrived to the shelter with them, had been divided from the basic cat population as a precaution. This team of cats remained in isolation for clinical observation.
  • Cats in this group started to clearly show obvious indicators of Calicivirus.
  • County team consulted with Roanoke Island Animal Clinic and presented photos of the cats’ signs and symptoms. Dr. Mary Burkart encouraged county staff in this circumstance. Dr. Burkart has supplied a penned letter supporting the selection to euthanize.
  • County staff contacted condition inspectors at the North Carolina Section of Agriculture, which oversees animal shelters and boarding facilities. Reporting instances of Calicivirus is expected by the condition office. The condition inspectors obtained direction from the State Veterinarian’s Business and agreed that euthanizing was the finest choice.
  • Each cat was sedated to simplicity their suffering and then individually euthanized by county workers. The euthanized cats were being then despatched to the county’s crematorium, operated by shelter staff.

But regional animal advocates say the problem isn’t as the shelter described.

According to the Currituck County SPCA, which is not affiliated with the shelter, Blessed Kitten Cat Rescue from Virginia Seashore picked up five kittens from the Currituck shelter the 7 days of July 7, but quickly discovered two ended up sick with indicators of Calicivirus.

“However they did not have a confirmed analysis. The cat rescue did simply call the shelter back inside a small period of time to let them know that the two kittens believed to have the virus had been performing fine,” the SPCA claimed in the Facebook post. “During that phone they were being told that a entire home of cats experienced been euthanized, approximately 30 is what we know. The total consumption place. That shocked and upset them because they had offered them information and facts that they felt had prompted the euthanization.”

The SPCA accused shelter staff of lying about possessing a veterinarian prognosis.

“We know that the Vet of Document for the shelter (Moyock Animal Healthcare facility) was not contacted for a seek the advice of or prognosis.” The SPCA claims the shelter explained the analysis arrived from the Virginia Seaside cat rescue.

“We know that the cat rescue did not have a prognosis for the reason that we also spoke to them. The two kittens that they believed experienced the virus turned out to be wonderful, wholesome kittens,” the SPCA wrote.

“We do not know why the shelter designed a determination to euthanize all of the cats in the consumption room and we do not know why they didn’t check with the Vet of History. The Vet of Record is paid out by the county to oversee the healthcare demands of the shelter like medicines administered,” the SPCA wrote. “The selection the shelter manufactured to euthanize a entire area whole of cats was produced by persons who do not have a license to practice veterinary medication nevertheless they took it on by themselves to diagnose and euthanize a huge variety of cats. A lot of of them nursing moms and kittens.”

Currituck County officers say euthanizing was decided needed to safeguard the complete cat population in the shelter.

“Calicivirus is very contagious and could have most likely spread by the shelter rapidly. The employees followed accurate protocols by isolating the team of cats, speaking to a veterinarian, and making contact with the point out inspector’s office environment prior to euthanizing the animals,” the statement claimed.

“Euthanizing animals is a final vacation resort at the Currituck County Animal Shelter and is only accomplished for clinical or violent behavioral causes. The psychological toll on personnel is quite important,” the assertion proceeds. “Currituck County will take excellent satisfaction in working a thoroughly clean, caring, and specialist animal shelter. Staff and volunteers invest a lot of hrs having treatment of animals and planning them for adoption. About the previous three decades, the Animal Shelter has taken in 2,585 animals. Of these, 460 have been euthanized.”

The shelter says it encourages county residents to spay/neuter pets. The stray and feral cat populace in Currituck County is extremely huge and the Animal Shelter often has a significant number of cats in the facility. Residents can assist stop situations like this in the long term as a result of a proactive spay/neuter solution.

This story originally appeared on OBXToday.com. Go through Additional area tales listed here.