EVERETT, Wash. (AP) — Officials now say 81 cats were euthanized at the Everett Animal Shelter after tests confirmed a contagious, aggressive virus in a kitten.
The kitten was found dead Monday and tests confirmed feline panleukopenia. After consulting the shelter’s veterinarian, staff decided they should euthanize nearly all the rest of the cats. The Herald says several held in other parts of the shelter were spared and are now in quarantine.
Shelter Assistant Director Shannon Delgado calls it “a very sad and gut-wrenching day.” She says the shelter didn’t have the space or staff to create the type of isolation ward that would have been an option to euthanizing the cats.
The shelter’s feline adoption center is shut down until Thursday as workers disinfect the area. Those who have adopted cats since Sept. 19 can either return the animals or work with a private vet to quarantine the animals for the recommended period.
