Havre Animal Shelter under quarantine for parvovirus

Havre Animal Shelter is now quarantined due to a dog being diagnosed with a highly contagious virus.

“ (I am) shutting the shelter down for awhile as a precaution because of the dog that went through,” Havre Animal Control Officer Peter Federspiel said this morning.

Federspiel said the shelter found out about the dog last Friday.

  The dog was diagnosed with parvovirus that can be spread by direct or indirect contact by dogs or with their feces.

“It is like a very intense flu,” Federspiel said. “It is very contagious. It is spread through saliva and feces.” 

He said the dog was exposed to the virus prior to the shelter vaccinating it and then the virus took over before the vaccine kicked in and it was adopted prior to the virus spreading.

Federspiel said he may open the cat area of the shelter sometime next week, but is not positive when he may open the dog area.

“We are playing it by ear for right now,” he said.

He said if people have any animal control complaints to call Havre City Police Department 265-4361 or if people have any questions about any animals they wish to adopt they can still call the shelter 265-2959, but they will be unable to come to the shelter.

  He added that he wants to remind people to have their animals vaccinated and have a regular vet visit with a vaccination schedule because the vaccinations help to keep diseases like this from spreading.

“An ounce of prevention goes a long way,” Federspiel said.