News and event information for Williams Lake, BC - as it happens.

By LeRae Haynes

The Williams Lake SPCA shelter has shut down the ‘dog department’ for a week after a female dog and her pups have been diagnosed with Parvo. “Stress definitely has an impact on the disease and it’s highly contagious,” said shelter manager Liz Dighton. “You can get it on your clothes and carry it everywhere and treatment is very costly.”

(There are cats healthy and ready for ‘forever homes’ this week at the SPCA, including ‘Taffy’, a uniquely-coloured and extremely friendly ‘senior’ cat.)

Canine Parvovirus (Parvo) is a disease is caused by a highly infectious virus which can be spread through direct contact with other dogs, or even by picking up the virus from the ground where an infected dog has walked or passed feces.  The virus may survive in the environment for months.  Dogs pick it up on their feet or noses and lick and ingest virus particles. It can be especially severe in puppies that are not protected by maternal antibodies or vaccination.  Vaccines can prevent this infection, but mortality can reach 91% in untreated cases.

Liz said that they take the threat of Parvo infection very seriously and are extremely cautious. “We will be doing extra cleaning—bleaching everything for two weeks straight,” she explained.

Another challenge facing the shelter this week is finding a home for two female ‘senior’ cats who were surrendered to the shelter when their mentally handicapped owner was no longer able to care for them. 

The cats are eight and 16 years old. ‘Taffy’ has a beautifully unusual coat of bronze-tipped tan fur and ‘Mocha’ is a long-haired multi-coloured cat with emerald eyes. They are both loving and friendly and have spent their lives together in the same home.   

(Mocha is a purring, friendly feline who purrs when she is groomed.)

“There is a reduced adoption fee for Mocha and Taffy,” Liz said. “It would mean the world to have them adopted together.”

She explained that when animals come to the shelter—whether they’re surrendered or strays—it’s stressful. “Realistically, when they’re surrendered, at least we get some background on them and can place them more easily. It helps to know things like, ‘Did they grow up around kids or animals?’ for example.

“Whether they’re surrendered or strays, though, they’ve still been pulled from what they know. Everything has changed for them,” she continued. “A stray can come to the shelter from a less-than-ideal situation, but it’s a ‘good strange,’” she explained. “Now they have food, water, shelter and attention.

“For a surrendered animal, though, it’s the opposite. They may arrive in better shape physically, but now they’re in a small cage with a lot of strange animals around.”

Liz said that due to the dog situation at the shelter, bleach is desperately needed, and that donations of household bleach will be deeply appreciated. 

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