News - National
Mystery illness sweeps through shelter
Posted: Aug 27, 2010 8:59 AM by Bea Karnes, News First 5
Updated: Aug 27, 2010 9:00 AM
Hundreds of animals at a North Carolina animal shelter are being euthanized due to a mystery illness.
Lab tests at two well-known animal virus labs haven't determined what's killing the animals. Symptoms are high fever, vomiting and diarrhea, and then death comes quickly. "Some animals it's two days, some four," says animal services manager Jay Blatche.
Catawba County officials say they have no choice--they have to euthanize the animals, then sanitize the shelter from top to bottom in hopes of killing whatever is killing the animals.
The shelter has stopped receiving news animals, and is not adopting any out.
Almost every animal in the shelter was surrendered by an owner, hoping to find a new family.
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