Distemper outbreak causes a wrangle

TWENTY-TWO dogs were humanely euthanised after the distemper outbreak at the Alberton SPCA and no dogs are allowed to be dropped off at the SPCA.

“Not true,” says an female ex-member of the Alberton SPCA who wishes to remain anonymous. “The NSPCA killed animals against the advice of a private vet and the Alberton committee. We understand that they spared three cats, but and unfortunately we cannot confirm the exact number of dead animals at the moment.”

She continued to say that the committee had formulated a plan of action which was communicated to the NSPCA, but that NSPCA said it was not acceptable. “A private veterinarian told us that there is no need to euthanise all the animals and that they will do a clinical assessment of all the animals to determine which animals had contracted the disease. We would then move the healthy animals to the boarding kennels, which are disease-free and empty.

“Then we would start sterilising the kennels. It was also discussed that we get quotes from various companies to collect all bedding and burn it. After sanitisation was completed, we would then move the healthy animals back into the kennels and then repeat the sanitising process in the boarding kennels to ensure that all kennels are disease-free.

“However, we were simply told that this plan would not be tolerated and all animals had to be euthanised. That if the committee did not do it, the NSPCA would come in to put all the animals down, except for those with the seven-day waiting period on strays. None of the Committee members were prepared to do this and at that stage resigned. The Committee was threatened with legal action in the event that any of this was leaked to the media and/or public, and yet the NSPCA has taken parts of the event and made it public.

“The Committee have worked night and day to raise funds, make beneficial changes and to do outreach in two areas. In April this year we were appointed as the acting Committee to look after the financial problems experienced by the Alberton SPCA (over R1 million loss during the past year) which is now running at a profit. Furthermore, sickly animals that come to us are sent straight to the hospital.”

A meeting was held with the committee members on Tuesday evening at the Alberton SPCA to discuss the factors used to assess each animal prior to selecting it for euthanising and these are the normal selection criteria that are used every day at the SPCA, namely: s the animal must be re-homable; in good or poor condition; free from pathology; old age; and a history of disease or treatment and any clinical evidence of distemper. These factors are welfare-based and ensure that only healthy and re-homable animals are available for adoption. Removing clinically infected animals from the environment is a sound bio-security principle and is a necessary measure when animals are infected with a highly contagious and infectious disease. This is an internationally accepted principle that is implemented to try halt a disease outbreak.

“I did explain to the committee members that each animal will be assessed and clinically examined, and based on the factors mentioned, they will then make a decision whether to further quarantine the animal or to humanely euthanise the animal.

“Canine Distemper is a highly contagious and infectious common disease. The 22 dogs that were euthanised, were done so after having been selected from a number of factors as agreed upon by committee members. No cats were euthanised – they are all healthy, immune to distemper and are available for adoption. She went on to say: “Euthanising, regardless of the reason, is always a highly emotional issue and always provokes intense reactions. We need to understand that we cannot put the welfare of healthy animals at risk because of infected dogs. We would have been negligent if we did not step in. It is our duty to provide a healthy environment when it comes to animal welfare.

“People need to understand that there is no treatment for distemper. We can treat the symptoms and healthier animals may survive if their bodies can fight the virus. Some of the animals that were put down had full-blown distemper, but we also have to remember that other dogs, which would fall into the above categories, were also put down.”

On Friday, Maggie Mudd, NSPCA Senior Inspector, told the RECORD that the society has no quarantine, nor isolation facilities. “If an animal comes in and has a disease, it gets taken into an alternate kennel. Dogs that have come in with distemper had to be placed in isolation facilities. Because the society has no isolation facilities, they should have quarantined them until all kennels have been disinfected and not accept any new dogs. Cats can still be accepted at Alberton SPCA,” Maggie said.

All the dogs were transferred to the Germiston SPCA and once the kennels have been cleaned and disinfected, the animals will return to the Alberton SPCA.

“This was also against Dr. Caryn Rademeyer’s better judgement, as she explained that all animal shelters carry various diseases (including Distemper) and that different shelters carry different strains of Distemper. Her concern was that if we moved or housed the dogs at the Germiston SPCA, then the Alberton SPCA would run the risk of bringing the animals back with a different strain of Distemper,” the female ex-committee member said.

The documented number of dogs that were humanely euthanised is 22.

“Everyone who has lost a dog is advised to contact Germiston SPCA to find out if their stray dog has been taken in on 011 825 5033/6. The same with stray dogs. These should be taken to Germiston SPCA,” said Maggie.

“We need to get back on track again. All that we are requesting from the community is to please donate blankets as we now have to dispose of all the blankets or bedding material that was used in our kennels due to the outbreak. We need donations of building materials, which can brick up the kennels instead of mesh wire and also make an isolation unit to quarantine sick dogs or for any dogs coming in,” said Kingstone Siziba Kennels Manager of Alberton SPCA.