Puppy tests positive for Canine parvovirus at Beaver County Humane Society

CENTER TOWNSHIP, Pa. — A puppy at the Beaver County Human Society tested positive for Canine parvovirus on Wednesday.

Officials are working to stop the spread by quarantining exposed dogs and following cleaning procedures.

“As soon as we discovered the puppy had parvovirus, we immediately took action to minimize the risk to our other dogs,” Executive Director Alison Yazer said. “This included identifying exposed dogs, isolating them, and initiating a deep clean of our facility, with special attention focused on our dog kennels and high dog traffic areas.”

The Humane Society said the puppies are particularly susceptible to parvovirus, which is caused through direct or indirect contact with feces. It can be deadly if left untreated.

Puppies can not receive the vaccine until they are 6-8 weeks old.

“The health of our animals is our highest priority. BCHS administers all core vaccinations to every animal that we bring into our shelter—for dogs, this includes the vaccine for parvovirus,” Yazer said. “So, while the risk to our dogs is low, we’re addressing this situation seriously and will continue to monitor the exposed dogs and follow our quarantine-specific cleaning procedures out of an abundance of caution.”

The sickness, cleaning efforts, and the holiday weekend are putting a strain on the staff. In response, the animals will be moved into foster care for the long weekend.

“Even a short period of time out of the shelter for these dogs would be a tremendous benefit to their well-being as we handle this situation,” Ms. Smith Rankin said. “We will also be looking for short-term fosters after the holiday weekend to help us with capacity through the two-week duration of our quarantine.”

Anyone interested in fostering an animal can call 724-775-5801 ext. 143 or 123, or can visit the foster service website to apply.

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