Stockton Animal Shelter pauses intake of stray dogs over possible bacterial outbreak

Angelaydet Rocha, The Record
·2 min read
This 2-year-old male German Shepard was brought in as a stray on July 5, 2019, at the Stockton Animal Shelter. Due to a possible outbreak the shelter has paused the intake of all healthy stray and confined dogs. The pause on intake is anticipated to continue through the end of the week before there is a reevaluation.
This 2-year-old male German Shepard was brought in as a stray on July 5, 2019, at the Stockton Animal Shelter. Due to a possible outbreak the shelter has paused the intake of all healthy stray and confined dogs. The pause on intake is anticipated to continue through the end of the week before there is a reevaluation.

A possible bacterial outbreak affecting current dogs housed at the Stockton Animal Shelter is being evaluated.

The shelter on Tuesday released a statement via their Facebook page that said they are providing preventive antibiotics for the dogs currently at the shelter.

Related: Large-breed dogs at Stockton shelter in need of adoption, fostering

“This treatment will make the dogs available for immediate and safe adoption,” the shelter said.

Due to the possible outbreak, the shelter has paused the intake of all healthy stray and confined dogs. The pause on intake is anticipated to continue through the end of the week before there is a reevaluation.

The shelter also reported already being at maximum capacity and encourages the community to give a home to animals in shelter homes by adoption or fostering. Adoption fees are currently being waived, the shelter said.

The Stockton Animal Shelter also encourages the community to use social media to help find owners of any stray animals.

The Stockton Animal Shelter last week was sharing their furry residents on their Facebook page trying to find them a home as the shelter overflowed with large-breed dogs. The Stockton Animal Shelter currently has profiles for 128 dogs ready for adoption on their website.

Last week, The Front Street Animal Shelter in Sacramento announced their suspension of acceptance of stray dogs after one dog tested positive for Streptococcus zooepidemicus, also known as “strep zoo,” Fox 40 reported.

Former Stockton Animal Shelter director Phillip Zimmerman, who now manages the Front Street Animal Shelter, said Jan. 6 in a statement on their Facebook page he has seen this before in other shelters.

“While managing the City of Stockton Animal Shelter, we also experienced a dog that tested positive for strep zoo,” Zimmerman said. “Limiting the number of animals in the shelter is the most important step we can take to reduce a widespread outbreak of this disease.”

For more information on adopting or fostering shelter animals, call the Stockton Animal Shelter at (209) 937-7445 or email the positive outcome partners at sspadogs@gmail.com.

Record reporter Angelaydet Rocha covers breaking news. She can be reached at arocha@recordnet.com or on Twitter @AngelaydetRocha. Support local news, subscribe to The Stockton Record at https://www.recordnet.com/subscribenow.

This article originally appeared on The Record: Stockton Animal Shelter pauses intake of stray dogs amid outbreak