I know I discussed this on Friday to bring light to the situation but I think I need to go into a bit more detail. This is not the first time that a disease outbreak has occurred at the facility in recent years. Yet again the handling of the situation is antiquated and putting all the animals in the community at risk. Instead of quarantining the entire facility they have opened the doors to private citizens and rescues to just take the dogs out of the facility. Rumor has it that they even waived the fees so people have been flocking to the small building on a whim so they can have a free dog.
We all know the true price of a “free dog” and the associated vet bills, heart ache, and pain to try and save their life so they can be your companion for years to come. Most people don’t get it. They see a cute dog that is being given away for free and think well I have wanted a dog for a while so if its free we should go today to get one.
Its no surprise then that Miami Dade was swamped with people trying to adopt the dogs to “save them” because they heard the dogs needed to find homes. Most of the people good intentioned though they might be are putting not only animals in Dade County at risk but potentially spreading the disease as far as Palm Beach maybe further. The rescues know what they were getting into by taking in these dogs and made arrangements for them to be quarantined at different facilities for the three week incubation period before being put into foster homes and made available for adoption.
But what about the people who don’t know about proper quarantine procedures. That think keeping the dog from the dog park for three weeks is enough. Do they realize that they cannot walk their dogs on the street? That even in their own yard they need to pick up the poop and immediately throw it away. That before leaving the house to go to work or see friends etc that they have to bleach the bottom of their shoes so they don’t spread the disease? Are they changing their clothes after playing with the dog before coming into contact with other people? By taking in one of these dogs they will need to constantly bleach the area the dog is allowed to be in order to minimize any risk to the environment in case the dog does wind up contracting the disease.
The risk the decision to throw open the doors of the facility has put all dogs in the county and beyond in is astronomical. Yes our dogs should be vaccinated and therefore not at risk but what about someone with a new puppy that isn’t old enough to be fully vaccinated that works in the same office as someone who doesn’t fully understand quarantine procedures and it gets transmitted to the puppy owners shoes and they bring home the disease? Or the elderly dog that has a weakened immune system and after considering everything the vet determines that it would be best not to vaccinate the dog.
This is not the first horrible decision coming out of MDAS in recent months a shelter worker came forward and alerted supperiors and the media about the use of heart stick in cats and kittens and because of the bad publicity to the facility she was fired. The person using the heartstick which is illegal in Florida was not fired and the cameras in the room that were there to monitor what was taking place are now disabled as to “not give the public and media anything else to use in a negative light.”
People all over Dade County have been calling for and now petitioning for the resignation or firing of the head of the facility Dr. Sara Pizano.
I thought the same thing Felissa! Why are they sending the dogs out into the community to spread the disease when they should be quarantining them? It makes no sense.
Thank you for posting this. I have contacted my personal vet as well as the vets that we use for our rescue to put them on notice about the possible outbreak getting to Palm Beach County. We are told that it is distemper however, many are not sure that it is. If its not, and some other virus that our dogs are not vaccinated against, then what?
Its not just the individuals but some of the rescues that took dogs that concern me. Knowing about the need for qurantine and actually doing it, are two differnt things.
Lets hope that our worst fears don't come through.
Vicki they send sick dogs out of that facility on a daily basis knowing they are sick. That is nothing new.
From what I can gather there was a not veiled threat that if the dogs remained they would all be killed instead of medicated and quarantined so people lined up at the door to take them. They were released because it would have just been really bad publicity to kill the dogs instead of release them.
My puppy was one of the dogs in the original litter that was believed to begin this horrible outbreak…she and all her siblings are now dead. The were rescues from Puerto Rico…and here is what the humane society isn't telling anyone…my puppy and her brother were purchased at the remote location for the humane society in BOCA RATON! Her other siblings were at the humane society of broward (in Hollywood), but they were all received in MIA! So that means numerous other UNVACCINATED puppies were exposed in Broward and west palm beach…oh and those facilities are contaminated too!