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Parvo exposure at Norfolk Animal Care Center leads to partial closure

The Norfolk Animal Care Center will suspend all owner surrenders for dogs, including emergency cases, during a 14-day period.

NORFOLK, Va. — A Norfolk animal shelter is partially closed to the public following an exposure of the canine parvovirus (CPV), an extremely contagious viral disease.

The Norfolk Animal Care Center (NACC) will suspend all owner surrenders for dogs, including emergency cases, during a 14-day period. The shelter said any new arrivals will be tested for CPV and CPV immunity, and then will be vaccinated upon intake.

“Unfortunately it’s one of those diseases that’s so common in these types of settings," said Ramon Villatoro, the shelter's operation manager. 

RELATED: Norfolk Animal Care Center quarantining dogs, limiting intake after CPV exposure

The return-to-owner process for strays will remain the same and will include a disclosure about the possible exposure to CPV.

Villatoro said shelter staff will also do additional disinfection measures in the dog area during the 14-day period, and will wear PPE during all cleaning and handling. 

“Our staff are wearing PPE, so they’re wearing gowns, gloves, shoe covers whenever they are entering that part of the faculty, and we’re also cleaning a little differently to best combat this infectious disease," he said. 

Dogs with positive immunity and are categorized as unexposed will still be available for adoption, but the NACC will be shifted to virtual or phone adoption consultations. If you're interesting in adopting one of the shelter's dogs, you should call them at (757) 441-5505. 

CPV causes an infectious gastrointestinal illness in puppies and young dogs, and without treatment, it is potentially deadly, according to the American Kennel Club website.

The virus can live outside of a dog's body for some time which makes it easy to be transferred from one dog to another. A dog can shed the virus prior to showing symptoms, making it extremely challenging to detect early.

The CPV exposure only affects the dog adoption area. NACC will still be open for cat and small mammal adoptions.

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