BARC Not Taking Animals For Next 7 Days

HOUSTON, TX — An unusually-high presence of upper respiratory illness in the city's largest animal shelter is forcing it to shut off accepting any animals for the next seven days.

BARC, the City of Houston’s Animal Shelter and Adoption Center, will close animal intake Tuesday, April 10, through Monday, April 16.

While the shelter is closed, BARC has partnered with Rescued Pets Movement, Houston Pets Alive! and Austin Pets Alive! to encourage as many Houstonians as possible to foster or adopt to protect the shelter's healthy animals from the illness.

“Out of concern for the hundreds of healthy animals who come to BARC each week, as well as BARC’s spay and neuter and wellness clinic customers, BARC has decided to take immediate, preemptive measures to isolate the issue,” said Greg Damianoff, assistant director for BARC. “Temporarily closing the shelter will allow BARC to focus our resources on treating sick animals, but getting the many healthy and adoptable animals out of BARC and into foster, rescue or adopted homes is also essential.”

In recent weeks, BARC has identified a presence of respiratory illness symptoms in its population and has quarantined dogs who have tested positive for distemper — an ever-present, yet treatable concern in communities with large populations of stray animals.

BARC's intake, regular wellness programs and spay/neuter clinic will close April 10-16 to allow BARC to:

• Identify, isolate, and treat infected animals
• Carefully monitor healthy but exposed animals for future symptoms
• Ensure that no animals are placed into the community until they are without symptoms or past the incubation period
• Conduct a deep cleaning of the shelter to reduce further contamination

Distemper symptoms may include thick nasal discharge, coughing, sneezing and, in severe cases, the neurological system, causing seizures, tremors and death. Individuals who have adopted dogs within the past 30 days from BARC that show potential symptoms are encouraged to contact the shelter for free medical treatment. BARC will also refund adoptions fees and accept returned animals from those who are unable or unwilling to care for potentially sick animals.

While BARC is closed, BARC’s rescue partners, Rescued Pets Movement, Houston Pets Alive! and Austin Pets Alive! implore members of the community to help the shelter by fostering, adopting healthy animals from the shelter, or donating their funds or time. Pets available for adoption can be found here, but potential pet owners are encouraged to visit BARC at 3300 Carr Street in Houston t0 meet each animal in person.

BARC is open for adoptions seven days a week from noon - 5:00 p.m.

(Photo by Astrid Stawiarz/Getty Images for PetHero)