An outbreak of infection has left dogs stuck in their kennels for three weeks at a South Los Angeles shelter. <\/p>\n
As of Thursday, 20 dogs at Chesterfield Square had tested positive for giardia, according to L.A. Animal Services. The common and highly contagious parasitic infection can cause diarrhea in animals as well as people. The first case was found Jan. 22.<\/p>\n
Walks, play groups and adoption meetings outside kennels were paused for a two-week isolation period to find and treat affected dogs, but that period was extended indefinitely by the shelter\u2019s team of veterinarians. <\/p>\n
\u201cAs an open intake shelter, LA Animal Services Centers are mandated to accept every stray, abandoned, or injured animal from their respective jurisdiction, which makes the shelter pet population vulnerable to animals arriving into the shelters with unknown health histories,\u201d said Agnes Sibal-von Debshitz, spokesperson for L.A. Animal Services, in a statement. <\/p>\n
The goal is to deep-clean kennels daily to prevent spread, Annette Ramirez, Animal Services general manager, said Tuesday at a meeting of the Board of Animal Services Commissioners. But with no tracking system in place for the cleaning of kennels holding the shelter\u2019s 230 dogs, some kennels don\u2019t get cleaned every day and must be done the next day, she said. <\/p>\n
Giardia is spread through feces-contaminated water, soil and food, according to Cornell University\u2019s<\/a> veterinary college. Sick dogs can easily be reinfected by grooming themselves and living in an unclean environment. Most dogs fully recover from infection with proper treatment. <\/p>\n Critics complained that dogs were still being placed on the euthanasia list despite the extraordinary circumstances surrounding the outbreak \u2014 when some animals could show behavioral decline, like losing weight despite receiving extra food or showing severe signs of stress, from being stuck inside a kennel for weeks at a time.<\/p>\n Not being able to take dogs out of their kennels made it harder for fosters and rescuers to determine whether they were suitable for rescue, some said. <\/p>\n The shelter system has come under fire for failing to exercise and socialize dogs properly even without the complication of illness. Volunteers told The Times in 2022<\/a> there were dogs at the South L.A. shelter that hadn\u2019t been walked in over a month amid an ongoing overcrowding and staffing crisis.<\/p>\n As of Monday, three dogs at the shelter with stress-related concerns were listed for euthanasia, Ramirez said, though she clarified that euthanasia rates had not gone up in recent weeks due to the isolation. <\/p>\n \u201cIt is inhumane to continue to keep them in a shelter environment where their condition continues to deteriorate,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n Kat Typaldos, a volunteer who spoke during the public comment period at Tuesday\u2019s meeting, said she had requested information about cleaning-shift coordination the day the outbreak started but didn\u2019t receive a response for weeks. \u201cThe lack of communication and an organized agenda … creates confusion and delay at a time when rapid volunteer support could be critical,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n Wednesday afternoon, some dogs at the South L.A. shelter \u2014 an open-air facility \u2014 were kept in feces- and urine-soiled kennels. Some animals had notes written on blue index cards attached to their identification cards listing giardia, diarrhea or other illnesses. <\/p>\n Many dogs stepped around feces to greet potential adopters through the bars of their kennels. Signs on most kennels asked visitors to avoid putting their hands inside the kennels or petting the animals. <\/p>\n