Humane Society feeling $50,000 effect from animal quarantine during illness

The Lexington Humane Society is feeling a significant financial effect from a quarantine after a highly contagious and deadly bacteria was found in some dogs.

The humane society’s main campus was closed Dec. 5 and is expected to reopen at noon Monday. The shelter initially made the decision to close for quarantine after one dog died of Streptococcus zooepidemicus, also known as strep zoo.

Two more of the shelter’s dogs have been confirmed to have died of the bacterial infection, according to the humane society. On Wednesday, the shelter said in an email that the rest of its dogs now have an appetite and are feeling better.

The humane society has received donations to help with the costly preventative treatments for the dogs, but the shelter needs about $50,000 in aid for expenses and lost revenue associated with the sickness and temporary closing during the holiday period, the shelter said in an email.

The shelter usually uses revenue from December adoptions, which have temporarily been suspended during the closure, to help finance the slower months of January and February, according to the humane society.

Donations can be made at AdoptLove.net.

This story was originally published December 14, 2017 at 6:52 AM with the headline "Humane Society feeling $50,000 effect from animal quarantine during illness."