York SPCA story...Some Better News!

I was sad to see this in the news tonight.

I know they've done their very best to contain it, but from what I've read ringworm is pretty treatable -- I guess there are just so many animals they can't cope with them all. I went and checked out the website too, and it's worse because they still have photos of pets up on the site. :sad3:

Urgh.
http://www.theglobeandmail.com/news/nat ... e1564000//

Wow, that's so sad. I had ringworm as a kid, no big deal. I wonder why they all need to be euthanized? I didn't think it was that big of a problem.

I just read the article... I'm not clear why they have to euthanize the animals.

Can't ringworm be treated? I don't think it's that severe is it?

I wonder if perhaps something else is at play here? sad.

Ringworm is treatabele.... no need for this.

Jesus, the animal community went nuts because THS euthanized a few unadoptable dogs and this is the first I've heard of this. 350 animals because of a fungus. Awesome.

eta: Of course as soon as I finish posting this I get in my car and hear it all over the news.

Why are people surprised, its not the first time. I brought this up almost a year ago.

viewtopic.php?f=10&t=12117&hilit=OSPCA+to+investigate+Toronto+Humane+Society&start=26

I'm not surprised. A couple of years ago, my OSPCA pts a mom rat because of mastitis and my vet told me it was completely treatable.

jorats said:

my OSPCA pts a mom rat because of mastitis

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Gee, my sister-in-law had mastitis, I'm glad they didn't put her down.

Because of ringworm?? That's crazy!

Not that I'm condoning this, but I recently took a veterinary CE course on shelter medicine and someone brought up a shelter that they worked at in the states somewhere that had a ringworm outbreak. It is nearly impossible to contain in a shelter-like environment as proper isolation protocols are nearly impossible (we've had this discussion before regarding our own rescues) with staffing difficulties, overcrowding etc it really is hard to have a proper "isolation room" especially considering that that staff member could ONLY work with the isolated animals and none other for the rest of the day (yes its doable but not practical or likely in a shelter environment). Also ringworm does have a dormancy period meaning that infected individuals could have been moved to other rooms before they show signs infecting many others before they themselves show lesions.
As ringworm is zoonotic it means that there are big public health implications (yes it's really easily treated but people tend to freak out on you when their new dog/cat whatever gives them/their kids lesions that they have to treat themselves and their pet and go to their dr and their vet and become infectious themselves).
It's entirely heartbreaking and makes me sick to hear of it. But in their defense, I have to say that I understand what they're doing. If these lives are taken, then the shelter is empty and they can properly clean and sanitize ensuring an outbreak doesn't occur once they start taking in more pets.
Please remember that these people love animals just as much as we do - i highly doubt this was a first choice or easy route for ANY one to make. They've seen these animals come in, in rough shape, nursed them back to health and then have been forced to make a VERY difficult decision.

That's pretty much what I figured. Having thought a bit about what made me want to post it, I think it was just the sheer numbers. I didn't/don't want all of them to pass on unnoticed, without recognition. So this was my way of memorializing that their lives have significance and importance, though they'll soon be gone.

trillium said:

That's pretty much what I figured. Having thought a bit about what made me want to post it, I think it was just the sheer numbers. I didn't/don't want all of them to pass on unnoticed, without recognition. So this was my way of memorializing that their lives have significance and importance, though they'll soon be gone.

Click to expand...

:nod: I hear ya, I think it needs to be talked about, their lives need to be remembered and honored.
I would hope, that the sheer volume of this will help impart stricter isolation protocols, but I also know, that with the nature of the shelter environment that it is really really difficult...
I believe that they have an on-staff veterinarian (although I really could be wrong there, alot of SPCA's just work with vets in the area, but with newmarket being head office there is something nagging at me that they may have a vet onstaff) and hopefully the shelter staff and veterinarians can work together to improve protocols (etc) and reduce the risk for this, and all other contagious illnesses (upper resp in cats is another biggie) in the shelter
:sad3: poor souls

They have protocols in place for catching ringworm on its way into the shelter, but these obviously failed. 10 days ago the shelter manager was fired from that facility, so I will assume that she is the one who screwed up

Totally treatable... It can be a bit a pain in the butt as it does spread from animal to animal and people as well so it can be a bit hard to contain in a shelter BUT yeah... no need for that...

It's no surprise really.... shelters around here used to pts rats because they had mites. Until I explained to them that all it takes is a drop of Revolution....

What I would like to know is if the York SPCA did try everything ie often shelters just want to spend the money. And otherwise did they contact other shelters/rescues/public and ask for help, being open and honest about what's going on, educate and then hopefully at least save some... or was it "easier" to just kill them all.

The lack of funding plays a huge role in just how much they can do and how far they can go for treatment as well as prevention. That shelter manager might just be a scapegoat. Someone has to be the fall guy.
They did say they are going on the recommendation of two vets and that this was their last resort.
It's sad... but they really need more funding in order to do more.

the outcry is huge, there are politicians involved now...the OSPCA has agreed to investigate the outbreak and many people are trying to get them to stop.

It is awful and I am one who is on board that the animals don't have to be euthanized.
There was a hearing, in Markham tonight, that I found out about too late to attend but would loved to have been there. Politicians are getting involved and trying to intervene and look for other options. I would love to hear how the hearing went if anyone was able to make it.
They have had outbreaks before, when they have not euthanized, but they were outbreaks that were species specific and could not be transferred to the public. In a statement they said that it was in the public's best interest that this be contained this way and I have to agree that they cannot be liable if it reaches the public on a large scale. Already six employees have caught it and they would be held responsible if the public were impacted.
I hope that some of the animals are saved - especially those that are testing negative, or where homes can be found that will sign waivers of responsibility, but the priority is to address the issue immediately as to how this could take place in such a state of the art facility. There is no excuse for this ever having happened and whoever made the call needs to be gotten rid of.