FAYETTEVILLE, N.C. – Cumberland County Animal Services is suspending all cat adoptions until further notice after additional cases of Feline Panleukopenia Virus (FPV) over the last week.
Additionally, only cats that are seriously sick, injured or have bitten someone will be accepted at the shelter until normal operations resume. No owner surrender or stray cats can enter the shelter. Residents who have found cats should either release the cat where it was found or hold it in their homes and try to locate the owner.
Animal Services halted feline adoptions and intake in October due to FPV cases. These operations resumed Nov. 1. Additional measures to reduce the risk of spreading the virus to other cats include increased cleaning protocols and protective equipment.
“By taking immediate precautions now, we hope to minimize the spread of the virus and keep down the number of affected animals,” said Animal Services Director Elaine Smith. “This is a very difficult time for everyone, and unfortunately this can happen in shelters no matter what we do.”
Shelters with positive FPV cats need to quarantine felines for a minimum of 14 days due to the incubation period for the virus. Anyone who has adopted a cat or kitten is encouraged to seek the advice of their regular veterinarian, particularly if they are showing any signs of illness.
This virus does not spread to humans or dogs. Dog adoptions will continue as normal.
“As a large, municipal shelter, there is always a high risk of contagious illness in the population and any shelter animal may have been exposed to a number of illnesses prior to entering our facility,” Smith said.
The mission of the Cumberland County Animal Services Department is to protect our citizens by active enforcement of state and local laws, provide for the humane sheltering and outcome of stray and unwanted animals, and promote responsible pet ownership. The primary objective of Animal Services employees is to provide excellent service to the citizens while dedicating themselves to improving the welfare of animals and humans.
Visit the Animal Services department page at cumberlandcountync.gov/animalservices or FaceBook page at facebook.com/cumberlandcountyanimalshelter for more information.