From the Office of the Sheriff Sheriff Dennis L. Dotson

For Immediate Release

NEWS RELEASE

Date: November 26, 2008

New Animal Shelter Program

The Lincoln County Sheriff’s Office is introducing another program to increase the level of service to Lincoln County. The Sheriff’s Office Animal Shelter has partnered with Dr. Charles Hurty and Dr. Natasha Knight of Grove Veterinary Clinic to begin a program called “Shelter Rounds.”

Doctors Hurty and Knight will visit the shelter to assist staff in providing improved medical care to the shelter’s animals, thus making the Animal Shelter a healthier and more efficient shelter.

Due to the large population of animals in the confines of one building, an animal shelter can become an ideal place for illness and parasites to propagate. This effect often becomes apparent in an outbreak of upper respiratory infection, the spread of fleas, or an infestation of intestinal parasites.

The Animal Shelter team works diligently to keep these illnesses at bay by providing safe, sanitary conditions for the animals, but sometimes this is not enough. In the past when a shelter animal shows signs of illness, the staff’s ability to treat the symptoms are very limited and sometimes results in the animal being taken to a local veterinarian for diagnosis. Visits to the doctor’s office as well as staff time to transport the ailing animals are costly. Often the illness is easily treated given the proper medication and instructions.

All of these factors have led to the concept of “Shelter Rounds.” Now, the shelter team will be better informed about the common ailments in dogs and cats, as well as the medications to treat them. Doctors Hurty and Knight will be visiting the Animal Shelter to provide staff the tools necessary to recognize the symptoms of common illnesses and provide proper treatment.

The veterinarians began this process by assisting the shelter in choosing appropriate medications for the shelter pharmacy. These include medications for eye infections, digestive issues, as well as common bacterial and viral infections all of which shelter staff encounter on a regular basis. This assistance allows the shelter to reduce the cost of unnecessary treatments and remedies, as well as save time in choosing a medication that is successful. Choosing the proper medication can prevent an illness from becoming more severe as well as reducing the amount of time an animal is sick. This results in the animal being eligible for adoption sooner than if they went untreated or were provided a less effective treatment.

During their visits, Doctor Hurty and Knight will train shelter staff in recognizing the symptoms of common illnesses and parasites associated with dogs and cats. Using a microscope recently purchased with funds from the Sheriff’s Office, shelter staff will be able to recognize specific types of intestinal parasites, thus enabling them to choose the proper treatment method. Although these types of parasites often require multiple treatments over a period of time to cure the animal completely, animals adopted from the shelter that have been treated for parasites will be on the road to recovery, making it easier for the new pet owner’s veterinarian to complete the process.

As the staff at the Animal Shelter becomes better informed and more proficient in recognizing and treating common ailments, this will create an opportunity for Dr. Knight and Dr. Hurty to examine selected shelter animals that may have an illness or injury the staff is unfamiliar with or is unsure how to treat. Under normal circumstances, an animal with an injury or uncommon illness must be taken to a local veterinary clinic and become costly. Having the veterinarians come to the shelter will save time and money, as well as reduce the stress on a sick or injured animal created from transporting.

“We hope to be able to equip the shelter staff with the skills necessary for early recognition and treatment of specific conditions commonly encountered in the shelter situation. Quick recognition and timely appropriate treatment allow for great success rates and better outcomes for all,” stated Dr. Hurty.

Dr. Hurty further stated, “We hope that providing this service can reduce the overall stresses experienced by not only the animals but also by the staff. Having some fundamental health care knowledge and skills can be empowering. This already dedicated staff really wants the training and information we can provide. This should be a terrific and rewarding program for all involved. The shelter group has been enthusiastic and easy to work with.”

“We are grateful for the time and effort Dr. Hurty and Dr. Knight are willing to contribute to this program in order to improve the health and safety of this county’s animal shelter population,” stated Sheriff Dotson.

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