GWINN, Mich. (WZMQ) – Last Wednesday evening, the Upper Peninsula Animal Welfare Shelter (UPAWS) received a litter of puppies from out of state.
According to UPAWS Medical Coordinator Megan Tarvas, the litter was signed off by a veterinarian with a clean bill of health, but that the puppies still appeared clinically ill. Immediate isolation efforts were made by shelter staff, and by Sunday, positive cases of parvovirus were found in the puppies.
“Luckily, from the get-go, we put them in isolation from the other dogs,” she explained. “We’ve only had one member of staff and myself attending to them. We’re bleaching our shoes and wearing proper PPE, so we’re confident its been contained.”
Until further notice, the shelter is holding the following precautions in place.
- Dog surrenders are temporarily paused until further notice.
- Stray dog intakes are temporarily paused until further notice.
- The UPAWS Dog Park is temporarily closed until further notice.
- Enhanced sanitation, monitoring, and isolation procedures are in place throughout the shelter.
As for the puppies, they’ll continue to receive the shelters around-the-clock care.
“The majority of them have IV catheters in place, they’re receiving fluids and nutritional support,” said Tarvas. “We’re managing it the best we can, and I’m really proud of the staff here and how we’ve handled it.”
Canine parvovirus typically has a infection lifespan of around two weeks. However, with how contagious it is, it’s currently uncertain to when the shelter will be back to a public schedule for dog services. UPAWS says they will keep its community up to date on social media.
