Oak Ridge Today

Animal Shelter: 51 animals euthanized due to distemper; donations needed

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Oak Ridge Animal Shelter

The Oak Ridge Animal Shelter on Belgrade Road is pictured above.

Fifty-one animals have been euthanized at the Oak Ridge Animal Shelter due to distemper, and donations are needed, Oak Ridge officials said Thursday.

“This has truly been a heartbreaking situation for our staff and volunteers,” the city said in a short statement Thursday afternoon.

The Shelter needs donations of cat litter (non-clumping only), blankets, towels, dry food, and canned food. The donations can be dropped off at the Pet Supplies Plus located at  254 South Illinois Avenue in Oak Ridge from 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. Monday through Saturday and from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. on Sunday.

Adoptable cats and kittens will be also be at Pet Supplies Plus from 12 to 4 p.m. on Saturday, October 25.

“Please keep us in your thoughts and prayers as we try to heal from this devastating blow,” the city said.

More information will be added as it becomes available.

Shelter cleaned after two dogs diagnosed with canine distemper, others tested

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Oak Ridge Animal Shelter

The Oak Ridge Animal Shelter on Belgrade Road is pictured above.

 

Two dogs recently taken in by the Oak Ridge Animal Shelter have been diagnosed with canine distemper. The Animal Shelter was closed Friday and Saturday to allow for thorough cleaning of the facility. Dogs in the shelter are being tested to see if others have contracted the disease.

Test results are expected to be received by today (Tuesday, October 21). If none of the dogs test positive for canine distemper, the Animal Shelter will reopen at 11 a.m. Wednesday.

As a precaution, all animals brought into the Oak Ridge Animal Shelter will be vaccinated on arrival, the Oak Ridge Police Department said in a press release. Dogs with any kind of cough or nasal discharge will be kept separate from dogs available for adoption. [Read more…]

Morgan crematory owner facing charges

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Elliott Pet Service Excavation

Dump trucks remove pet remains excavated in December from Elliott Pet Services in Morgan County. (Photo courtesy WATE-TV)

Information from WYSH Radio

The owner of a pet crematory where investigators found dozens of dead dogs and cats in mass graves is now facing criminal charges.

A Morgan County grand jury indicted Cameo Farr on three counts of violating the state’s hazardous waste management act. Under that act, people can’t dump solid waste in a landfill that doesn’t have the proper permits. [Read more…]

Pet drive, adoption fair at Animal Shelter on Saturday

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Oak Ridge Animal Shelter

The Oak Ridge Animal Shelter on Belgrade Road is pictured above.

Submitted

Shizzy’s Doggy Haven in partnership with the Oak Ridge Animal Shelter are sponsoring a pet drive and adoption fair on Saturday. All donations from the event will go directly to the animal shelter.

Spring has sprung and that means the shelter is full of puppies, kittens, adult dogs, and cats that are looking for their new home. Drop by for some puppy love and a chance to adopt your new best friend! We will also have lots of silent auction items available including a grill donated by Home Depot.

We have amazing door prizes available from local sponsors and all you need to do to enter is bring an item the shelter desperately needs to continue to run efficiently. The shelter’s needs are blankets, towels, dog beds, crates and cages, cat carriers, dish soap, (he) laundry soap, cleaning supplies, dog food (wet and dry), puppy and kitten food, cat litter, newspapers, toys, stuffed animals, collars, leashes, and most of all YOU! [Read more…]

Animal Shelter closed until Tuesday to prevent spread of canine distemper

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Oak Ridge Animal Shelter

The Oak Ridge Animal Shelter on Belgrade Road is pictured above.

The Oak Ridge Animal Shelter will be closed until Tuesday, March 11, as a precaution to prevent the spread of canine distemper, authorities said.

Several dogs in the shelter are being tested after exhibiting symptoms of the disease, the Oak Ridge Police Department said in a press release. No cats have shown signs of distemper and are not susceptible to canine distemper.  The virus can be passed from dog to dog through sneezing, coughing, and sharing food and water bowls.  Wild animals can also spread the disease.  Pet owners are encouraged to ensure their animals have been vaccinated.

Although all animals recently admitted to the shelter have been vaccinated, this will not benefit those infected prior to arrival, the release said. Pet owners recently adopting dogs from the shelter should contact the shelter if signs of canine distemper appear.  Symptoms may include sneezing, coughing, discharge from the eyes and nose, depression, and loss of appetite. [Read more…]

Two cases of canine distemper confirmed in Oak Ridge

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Two cases of canine distemper were recently confirmed by an Oak Ridge veterinarian’s office, city officials said.

Also, a dog adopted from the Oak Ridge Animal Shelter in January may have contracted distemper, the Oak Ridge Police Department said. It was not known if the adopted dog contracted the disease before or after being adopted.

As a precaution, all animals brought into the Oak Ridge Animal Shelter are being vaccinated on arrival. The shelter is separating dogs with any kind of cough or nasal discharge from dogs available for adoption. [Read more…]

Three residents escape, two cats die in Geneva Lane fire

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Geneva Lane House Fire

Three residents escaped but two cats died in a Monday morning fire in a den and kitchen at a home on Geneva Lane. (Photos by Tom Scott)

Three residents escaped but two cats died in a Monday morning fire in a den and kitchen at a home on West Geneva Lane.

The fire was reported at about 6:36 a.m. at 110 W. Geneva Lane.

The homeowner, Debora Boody, said her mother smelled smoke when she got up to shower in the morning. After she was awakened, Debora Boody went to the den and said it looked black inside, so she opened the den doors and smoke immediately filled the kitchen, an Oak Ridge Fire Department report said. [Read more…]

Volunteer Day at Oak Ridge Animal Shelter on Saturday

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Oak Ridge Animal Shelter

The Oak Ridge Animal Shelter on Belgrade Road is pictured above.

More pets go missing around July 4 than at any other time of year, and noisy fireworks are to blame.

While many of us enjoy the sights and sounds of big fireworks, our pets are often terrified by the loud noises and can become frantic and run away, trying to find a safe haven. According to national statistics, animal control officials across the country see a 30-60 percent increase in lost pets each year from July 4-6.

Julie Armes, the supervisor for the Oak Ridge Animal Shelter, said July 5 is their busiest day of the year.

“People are coming in or calling, looking for their lost pets or bringing in pets they’ve found,” Armes said. “Sadly, many pet owners never come in to retrieve their dogs or cats.” [Read more…]