PHOENIX — The Maricopa County Animal Control & Care (MCACC) is not taking in any stray dogs until at least Friday due to a rare bacteria.
MCACC officials announced a dog at the west shelter has died from Streptococcus Zooepidemicus, often referred to as “Strep Zoo."
A 3-year-old dog was found dead in its kennel on Monday. This prompted the veterinary team to conduct a PCR test and the results returned showing the dog tested positive for Strep Zoo.
"It is heartbreaking any time a pet dies in our care," said Communications Supervisor Kim Powell. "Now we need to ensure other dogs are not suffering from this illness and no more contract it."
The disease is a concern in animal shelters because there is no vaccine to prevent it and it does not respond to treatments that are used for common upper respiratory infections typically found in shelters, according to officials.
Other dogs who were near the infected dog are being treated with antibiotics as the housing areas are cleaned.
All dogs at the West shelter will receive treatment.
"The good news is there are antibiotics Strep zoo responds to, so we will be using those antibiotics as a preventative measure until the impacted areas can be thoroughly cleaned," said Dr. Samantha Thurman, Chief Animal Medical Officer for MCACC. "Once dogs are on preventative antibiotics they are well-protected from Strep zoo. The most important step is for us to clean thoroughly."
MCACC urges people and partnering cities who find a stray dog to NOT take them to MCACC shelters unless it is an emergency, such as aggressive behavior, bite cases, or other safety issues. They're asked to keep the dog safe in their home and out of the shelter until normal processes are back in place.
MCACC hopes to return to normal intake procedures by Friday, March 29.
"Because the dogs are protected once they are on antibiotics, we will continue adopting dogs out with a waiver and seven days' worth of antibiotics for potentially exposed dogs," said Dr. Thurman.
Officials say the cleaning process to eliminate strep zoo is a challenging process. The dogs must be removed from the kennels during cleaning and all areas must be fully dry before the dogs re-enter the space. Staff must also wear personal protective equipment until the cleaning process is complete.
Symptoms of “Strep Zoo” include:
- Coughing
- Nasal discharge
- Vomiting
- Labored breathing
- Coughing blood
