ISLE OF WIGHT – All 30 of the cats being held at the Isle of Wight County Animal Shelter have apparently been infected with a feline herpes virus and homes are needed for them immediately.
Dr. Betty Payne, a veterinarian at the shelter, says that all 30 of the cats have been infected.
The shelter needs to be cleaned and disinfected with no cats allowed on the premises for at least 30 days.
This predicament has the animal shelter in a bind. The highly contagious nature of the virus makes it hard to find temporary homes for the cats. Payne says anyone who can adopt a cat must not have other cats around. She also cautions that an infected cat may require future treatment.
The disease is not curable but can be managed.
Humans and dogs are not at risk for catching feline herpes.
A volunteer from the Isle of Wight Humane Society has taken 12 of the cats. The animal shelter is reaching out to other rescue groups in the hopes that more cats may be placed.
The shelter must find homes for the cats by this Sunday. Any of them that are not adopted will have to be euthanized.
Anyone interested in adopting one of the cats should call the animal shelter at 757-365-6318. Hours of operation are 8:30 am- 4:00 pm Monday – Saturday and 1:00 pm – 4:00 pm Sunday.
An outbreak of this same feline herpes virus occurred in October 2011 and all of the affected cats were euthanized. The facility was sanitized but the waiting period of 30 days was not observed, and cats were accepted into the shelter after one week. Because of this, it is believed that the virus was not completely eradicated and thus the current outbreak occurred.
On January 19, the Isle of Wight County Board of Supervisors agreed to place Animal Control under the authority of the Sheriff’s Office. Plans for new policies and procedures are currently being formulated.
