NSW animal shelter euthanises all its dogs amid deadly parvovirus outbreak, sparking community debate

A NSW animal shelter has revealed it made the difficult decision to euthanise all of its dogs following the outbreak of a deadly virus.

Queanbeyan-Palerang Regional Council said it had made the “difficult but necessary decision” to have all dogs at its Animal Management Facility euthanised following an outbreak of canine parvovirus.

The deadly disease can spread wildly among unvaccinated dogs, especially younger ones, and of the 20,000 cases found in Australia each year, nearly half result in death.

The council said the “very serious disease” resulted in the closure of the facility on October 10, and warned the news may be “distressing” for some.

Since then, the virus had “spread rapidly between dogs at the facility”.

“The facility is not an animal hospital and with veterinary advice and attendance, we made the difficult but necessary decision to have all the dogs euthanised,” it said.

“We would like to thank the local veterinary community for their support and expertise over the last week.

“The Animal Management Facility will be closed to the public until further notice to allow us to conduct a deep clean of the whole facility.”

The council explained the disease came to the facility through a surrendered dog, adding it meant “parvovirus is in the community”.

“We strongly encourage our community to ensure their dogs are vaccinated, and to be alert and keep an eye on their dog’s health,” it said.

But the decision has prompted fierce community debate.

“Blaming the facility for not being a veterinary hospital is not okay. You are responsible for the health and welfare of these animals and you have failed them,” one person said.

“Let’s be honest, you weighed up the potential cost, not what was best for the animals,” another said.

However others were sympathetic to the stress endured by the shelter’s staff during the ordeal.

“My deepest condolences to the animal attendants, rangers and pound volunteers who loved those dogs wholeheartedly,” a woman said.

“Parvo”, as the virus is often called in Australia, painfully destroys the gut and intestines of the infected dogs, resulting in gastroenteritis, hemorrhagic diarrhoea, vomiting and dehydration.

According to the RSPCA, the typical incubation period for parvo is four to six days.

Here are the signs to watch out for:

• Lethargy
• Loss of appetite
• Severe or repeated vomiting
• Diarrhoea (commonly with blood present in the stool)

Pet owners who are nervous about bringing a healthy dog into a clinic during an outbreak are advised to call their local vet to work out a vaccination solution to keep their pet safe.

7NEWS.com.au has contacted Queanbeyan-Palerang Regional Council for further comment.