The Many Alternatives to a Mass Killing at MDAS

When it comes to something like a distemper outbreak, and an animal shelter is on track to slaughter all potentially infected animals as their “solution”, many people will ask the very logical question – what are the alternatives? There are plenty of avenues to take to help quell the crisis – as well as plenty of precautions that SHOULD have been taken by the shelter long before now (especially in this case, as staff and rescuers have known there was a distemper problem at Miami Dade Animal Services for many months).

Here are some key protocols that help stop the spread of distemper (when properly implemented):

Vaccination on intake. MDAS does NOT vaccinate all animals on intake, although they are supposed to as part of their protocol. Animals are frequently not vaccinated for various reasons, including that they’re “fearful” or “aggressive (often just a euphemism for fearful)”. According to the UC Davis Shelter Medicine website, “Vaccination of all animals on intake is one of the simplest and most cost-effective tools available to help protect the health of all shelter animals”. Additionally, the website mentions, “Vaccines for canine distemper have been shown to provide very good protection, even when given only 15 minutes before exposure to the disease!” That’s pretty straightforward – and yet why isn’t it being done, without exception?

Proper disinfection of the facility, kennels, etc. This should be the most obvious of criteria for any shelter, but sadly, it’s not. MDAS’ efforts at sanitation are minimal at best. Animals on the adoption floor can often be seen covered in their own feces or urine, and the facility emits a terrible smell. Again, the UC Davis Shelter Medicine website states the following, “Fortunately, the virus that causes canine distemper is destroyed by most commonly used disinfectants. Quaternary ammonium compounds, bleach, or disinfectants containing potassium peroxymonosulfate (Trifectant or Virkon) are all suitable disinfectants.” Another simple solution that can help save lives.

Isolation of sick animals. While MDAS does have a “sick ward”, their isolation efforts are not up to par. Animals exhibiting obvious symptoms of illness are often left on the floor and exposed to healthy animals. Additionally, animals are often not treated for their medical conditions (even the easily treated ones), so disease remains rampant and commonly spreads. If animals exhibiting any symptoms of illness were immediately removed from the general population and treated (when possible), it seems logical that the contagion would be far less. According to the Association of Shelter Veterinarian’s Guidelines for Standards of Care in Animal Shelters, “During a disease outbreak, physical separation must be established between exposed, at-risk and unexposed animals or groups of animals.” So given the current situation, all animals exhibiting any symptoms should be removed and isolated immediately. Granted, distemper does not present obvious symptoms until the final stages, but it does appear in the preliminary stages with kennel cough-like symptoms, so it would still be reasonable to isolate the animals exhibiting those signs.

All in all, there are many avenues that should have been taken, and could still be taken, by MDAS to avoid the direction in which they’re currently headed – death to all dogs left in the facility.

In fact, the shelter standards document referenced above calls for “depopulation” (killing) of the potentially exposed animals ONLY as a last resort (see page 30). MDAS should have been reaching out for community help and rescue support regarding this epidemic months ago, as the signs were all there. Instead, they’ve refused help from No Kill Nation and are not willing to implement the simple procedures that could have saved thousands of lives.

At the VERY least, the shelter should extend the adoption period for every dog and puppy on site, until every one can be rescued. Since intakes are suspended, there’s no reason why they shouldn’t hold the animals and allow for rescuers to rally in order to save as many as possible. Please reach out to county leadership and let them know that this needs to happen NOW! Otherwise the remaining dogs are likely to be killed tonight.

This is the final straw in a series of fatal mistakes that have cost innocent shelter pets their lives. Dr. Sara Pizano needs to be replaced immediately by a compassionate and progressive leader.

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