New canine flu strain a threat to abandoned pets

A Korean animal shelter has been forced to stop taking in abandoned pets because of a killer virus spreading through the country. The highly infectious HN32 flu virus has been spreading through the Korean Peninsula causing Busan Abandoned Pet Sanctuary to stop taking in new animals until it immunizes its 35 dogs.

Vets warned BAPS owner Leo Mendoza that the flu outbreak had spread from Seoul to Busan in the colder weather, and that the virus can survive in the environment for up to 48 hours as well as being transmissible on hands and clothing.

He said the 30,000 won ($25) vaccine against the highly contagious avian flu-related strain is vital for the dogs living at an old pig farm in the city.

He also warned pet owners that even dogs already inoculated against other strains that recently struck America would not be protected.

Mendoza said the sanctuary was seeking a vet who might provide them with the vaccine at a reduced price to help them protect their dogs and take in more animals.

He advised dog owners to get their pets vaccinated as soon as possible and keep them away from other dogs until they were safe.

He said: “(The virus) started up in Seoul and is slowly working its way down south and it has finally got here.

“We are keeping our dogs totally isolated from other dogs since we heard about it one week ago. We heard that one clinic here in Busan had to close for quarantine.”

The animal shelter usually takes in abandoned dogs from a local government-run shelter every time an animal is adopted or fostered as a pet, but has halted the process to protect the dogs currently living at the shelter until they can be protected.

Although the government-run pound keeps animals alive for as long as possible, a lack of space and resources obliges the center to euthanize dogs that are not picked up by owners or adopted within a matter of weeks.

Seoul-based Animal charity Korean Animal Welfare Association workers said similar strains had affected dogs in Seoul during this summer’s wet weather, but it had not heard of any animals being affected by the new strain.

A spokesperson for CARE said that a similar dog flu virus, which often starts to spread at dog farms, had hit the animal charity’s shelter last year.

The spokesperson said: “The virus has the potential to be widely spread every year and even animals that have already developed immunity could get it again.

“Therefore the vaccine should be injected every year but the vaccine is quite expensive.

“CARE has been seeking a solution to solve this problem and will inquire to relevant pharmaceutical companies to provide us vaccines at a low price.”

For more information on BAPS go to shindogs.org.

By Kirsty Taylor (kirstyt@heraldcorp.com)