Contagious infectious diseases are the most significant threat to the welfare of shelter populations and have a direct impact on the numbers of animals euthanized or adopted. Transmission of infections is an inherent and persistent risk in shelters. Vulnerability to infection is enhanced by high population density, admission of animals with unknown exposure to infectious agents, lack of protective immunity, stress, debilitation, concurrent parasitism, facility deficiencies in housing space and ventilation, and improper infection control procedures. Continual problems with infectious diseases in shelters result in animal suffering, increased euthanasia, decreased or delayed adoptions, low staff morale, financial stress, and compromised relations with the public and community veterinarians.

The temperate climate in the southeastern United States favors year-round endemicity of common infectious diseases as well as the emergence of diseases that are uncommon in other regions of the country. Many regional shelters not only battle disease in a few animals on continual basis, but may also be devastated by outbreaks involving large numbers of animals accompanied by high morbidity and mortality. The causes of endemic disease or infectious disease outbreaks are rarely determined due to budget constraints and lack of expertise in proper procedures for diagnostic testing. Consequently, intervention and prevention strategies are hampered by speculation on causes in lieu of accurate diagnosis. Frequently, the persistence of the problem leads shelters to accept a diseased population as the “norm” for which there is no realistic solution or enter into cycles of depopulation and repopulation with new animals.

The need for disease detection and management services in the regional shelter community is underscored by recent, highly publicized disease outbreaks involving thousands of dogs in several shelters throughout Florida and other states, many of which elected to depopulate as a means for control. Since disease problems have a major impact on shelter animal health and welfare, we believe that a cornerstone of a comprehensive shelter medicine program is the provision of disease diagnostic, control, and prevention services to sheltering facilities focusing on the southeastern United States. The fundamentals of this infectious disease management service include:

• Diagnostic testing to identify infectious agents
• Formulation of control/eradication strategies appropriate for the agent identified
• Formulation of prevention strategies to minimize recurrence
• Outcome assessment by surveillance and adoption/euthanasia statistics, using the Maddie’s Fund monthly reporting system based on the Asilomar Accords when possible.
• Provision of disease prevention resources for shelter managers and veterinarians
• Continuing education delivered by website, webinars, seminars, conferences, and workshops