WATERVILLE — The cat wing on the Humane Society Waterville Area shelter on Webb Road is closed as a result of presence of feline calicivirus in among the cats there, a spokeswoman stated Friday.
Malena Gatti, president of the humane society’s board of administrators, stated 11 of the 99 cats on the shelter have confirmed circumstances of the virus and the shelter crew is working to comprise the virus and assist the cats get better.
Feline calicivirus is a extremely contagious virus that causes gentle to extreme respiratory an infection and oral illness in cats, based on the Cornell University College of Veterinary Medicine. It is widespread in shelters and breeding colonies and most cats get better from the virus although uncommon strains will be deadly, based on the faculty.
Gatti stated in an electronic mail Friday that as quickly as shelter officers discovered there was an sickness among the many cats, the crew determined to self-quarantine, resulting in the closure of the feline wing. Officials reached out to the state’s animal welfare veterinary crew for steerage, Gatti stated.
“We’ve also been working closely with the leadership team at another Maine shelter to compare our policies and ensure that ours are reflective of current best practices,” she stated. “As always, we continue to be committed to doing everything we can as a staff and as a facility to prevent and effectively contain illnesses if and when they arise.”
Gatti stated shelter officers hope to reopen the cat wing to the general public within the subsequent couple of weeks, however their precedence now’s guaranteeing the well-being and restoration of the cats.
She stated she couldn’t verify the variety of dogs on the shelter, however stated the canine inhabitants is wholesome.
Rae-Ann Demos, who served because the humane society’s government director till Friday, stated at a fundraising occasion in June that the nonprofit shelter operates on greater than $1 million a 12 months and counts on donations and grants to outlive. Lots of people assume the shelter will get state and federal money, nevertheless it doesn’t, Demos stated.
The shelter had 11 workers on the time however actually wanted 15, with Demos doing the roles of about 4 folks, she stated. Donations of any quantity assist the operation, she stated, including that individuals might donate by mail by sending contributions to Humane Society Waterville Area, 100 Webb Road, Waterville, Maine, 04901, or donate on the shelter’s web site or Facebook web page.
The humane society’s board of administrators stated just lately that Demos was instrumental in introducing initiatives to enhance the work of the organization and the standard of lifetime of animals within the area. Demos helped develop low-cost spay and neuter providers for the neighborhood, helped procure a brand new car for canine transports, oversaw enhancements together with the development of a feline consumption room, and collaborated on the event of a brand new feral cat program, administrators stated.
« Previous
Invalid username/password.
Please test your electronic mail to verify and full your registration.
Use the shape under to reset your password. When you have submitted your account electronic mail, we’ll ship an electronic mail with a reset code.