The Guelph Humane Society will remain closed to all visitors and volunteers until at least the middle of next week, and likely longer, as it investigates a possible case of an infectious disease called ringworm in one of its animals.
“We are not considering this an outbreak” of the disease as it’s suspected in only one cat, which has been quarantined since suspicious skin lesions were discovered Aug. 22, Deb Gray, the humane society’s operations manager, said in an interview Tuesday. “We’ve tested every single animal.”
The shelter was closed to all visitors and volunteers on Aug. 22 and remains closed for adoptions and animal-related traffic.
“It’s a waiting game that we have to abide by” while waiting for test results, which involve culturing the fungus found on the cat, Gray said.
“Definitive” test results can take three weeks, she said, but preliminary results will be available sooner, and humane society officials plan to re-evaluate the situation on Tuesday Sept. 4. “If everything is clear, there is a small possibility we may open” around the middle of next week, she said.
In the meantime, people wanting to adopt animals can visit the humane society’s satellite locations in a number of local veterinary clinics and pet stores, Gray said. The locations are listed at www.guelph-humane.on.ca.
The website also contains more information about the temporary closure of the shelter and about ringworm, which can be transmitted to people.
Noted veterinary infectious disease expert Dr. Scott Weese from the Ontario Veterinary College has been involved in advising the shelter on how to manage the situation.
Local public health officials were contacted Aug. 23 to inform them of the situation. The humane society was also contacting everyone who adopted a pet in the week before the closure that may have been exposed to the suspected cat case, as well as all other people with known potential exposure.
“The risk to the public and animals outside the shelter is minimal,” Weese said in a news release.
Anyone who visited the shelter during the week before it was closed, or who has adopted an animal recently, “should watch for skin lesions, particularly circular, reddened and scaly skin lesions, and see their physician if they have any concerns,” Weese said.
“Similarly, if skin problems are observed in pets that have recently been adopted from the shelter or animals that have been in contact with newly adopted pets . . . the animal should be evaluated by a veterinarian,” he said in the release.