Cheyenne Animal Shelter Reports Dog Upper Respiratory Infections

The Cheyenne Animal Shelter is closing down dog adoptions until Monday, August 13 because of an unusually high number of upper respiratory infections in shelter canines.

That's according to a post on the shelter's Facebook page.

According to the post, most of the infections have been mild and easily treated. However, one recent case caused by the bacteria Streptococcus equi subspecies zooepidemicus was more severe, causing shelter officials to close adoptions for a few days to allow for treatment of all of the animals that may have been exposed to the infection.

Owners of dogs recently adopted from the shelter will be getting letters on the symptoms of URI and how to treat the disease.

For now, the shelter is asking people who want to surrender their dogs to wait at least four days. People who absolutely must give up their dogs now are being asked to call ahead at 632-6655.

URI has recently been found at a number of animal shelters across the country, including in Weld County, Colorado. The shelter has a list of frequently asked questions about the infection on their website.