ABILENE, Texas (KTAB/KRBC) – The Abilene Animal Shelter is temporarily closed due to an outbreak of parvo and distemper.

This closure means that the shelter will not accept new animals or release any of the current animals at the shelter the could have been exposed to the outbreak.

Animal shelter veterinarians say vaccination is the most effective way to protect dogs form pavro and distemper. Shelter staff does vaccinate every dog upon intake and dogs a year old or younger are given boosters, but even vaccinated dogs can still spread the viruses to others.

“Unfortunately, if a dog has already contracted distemper or parvo before arriving at the shelter, or if the vaccine has not had enough time to take full effect before exposure, infection is still possible,” a press release explains.

An influx of dogs at the shelter recently could be contributing to the outbreak. There were also more than 100 dogs released from their kennels during a break-in August 26, which exposed them to each other for an extended period of time and allowed the viruses to spread.

It’s currently unknown how long the Shelter will remain closed. Stick with BigCountryHomepage.com for any updates.