DOUGLASVILLE, Ga. — The Douglas County Animal Shelter has reopened its doors after quarantining for two weeks due to a pneumonia outbreak among dogs.
The animal shelter, located at 2171 Mack Road, closed voluntarily on January 16 after 14 dogs fell ill with pneumonia, prompting a mandatory 14-day quarantine by the Georgia Department of Agriculture.
While the shelter was closed, no animals were allowed to enter or leave the facility and Animal Control operated on an emergency-only basis. As a result, the spread of the disease was mostly contained-- outside of four dogs whose kennel cough progressed to pneumonia.
County officials say all of the affected pups are doing well after medical treatment. No other animals were impacted by the illness and all staff were unaffected.
"The health and welfare of the animals in our care is always a top priority. We are grateful they responded well to treatment,” Douglas County Animal Services Director Vanessa Francikowski said. “Additionally, we owe a huge debt of gratitude to our volunteers and our community for the donations, encouragement, and support that kept us in good spirits during our closure."
The shelter has now resumed normal operations, including adoptions and fostering. It is open Tuesday through Saturday from 10 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. and on Sunday from 1 to 5 p.m.
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