The Homer Animal Shelter, run by Alaska Mindful Paws, stopped taking in animals and postponed its vaccination services for around three weeks in March due to a parvo outbreak. The shelter began taking steps to mitigate the spread of parvo after they took in Pete, who had been exposed to the virus. Shortly afterward, he started exhibiting symptoms and tested positive.
Shelter director Jillian Rogers said they implemented enhanced cleaning protocols and separated all three dogs in their care at that time.
“We kind of kicked it into high gear. And we separated him, and we were taking turns almost around the clock, just giving him fluids. And he made an immaculate recovery,” she said.
While the shelter staff worked to care for Pete and curb the spread of parvo, the Homer Police Department and the local community stepped up to handle the responsibility of locating, sheltering, and rehoming stray animals. Rogers said that even though the shelter is back to its regular operation, Homer residents are encouraged to foster stray animals and assist in finding their owners.
“Bring them in so we can scan them and if they're injured, of course, we'll take them in and take them to the vet. But if you find a stray dog or a cat, it's okay to hold on to it until you find the owner. Let us know, because people will ultimately call the shelter. But yeah, it's a lot less stressful when a dog doesn't have to come in,” Rogers said.
The Homer Animal Shelter is back to offering a variety of services, including animal control and caring for lost or homeless animals. Asa, a young husky, was one of the dogs in the shelter during the outbreak. He has been available for adoption for two months, making his stay the second longest at the shelter. Meanwhile, Pete, who is now in good health, is one of two dogs currently on trial for adoption.
