Owners were devastated when they were asked to surrender their puppies for euthanasia after being exposed to a rabid puppy during a Colorado adoption event last month.
The Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment has reached out to the foster families of the 11 puppies to arrange for their euthanasia.
This decision comes after a puppy adopted from Moms and Mutts Colorado Rescue for Pregnant and Nursing Dogs (MAMCO) tested positive for rabies and was subsequently euthanized.
MAMCO hosts adoption events every Saturday, and one couple, Jessica Eden and Keith Bryk, had adopted a puppy named Musubi on July 20. Unfortunately, Musubi may have been exposed to rabies.
“His original name was Audio, but we changed it to Musubi, and we even have Musubi shirts,” Eden mentioned.
The CDPHE disclosed on Friday that one of the puppies from the event tested positive for rabies.
“One of the sad aspects of this situation is that puppies are usually not vaccinated for rabies until they are a few months old. So, these puppies were too young to be vaccinated when they were exposed, presumably by an infected skunk,” explained State Epidemiologist Dr. Rachel Herlihy.
Aron Jones, the director of MAMCO, described the puppies’ initial health and happiness upon arrival from Texas.
“The symptoms only appeared much later, about nine days later. It’s important for people to understand how rabies is transmitted. It requires a bite, cut, or scratch to enter the bloodstream. It’s not contagious until the dog shows symptoms,” Jones clarified.
CDPHE stated that due to the inability to enforce strict quarantine, all the puppies had to be euthanized following guidelines from the National Association of State Public Health Veterinarians.
11 puppies to be euthanized after rabies exposure during Sheridan adoption event; owners left heartbroken
“The heartbreaking part is knowing how attached everyone has become to these puppies. Our hearts go out to the foster families and adopters who have developed strong bonds with them, which makes this situation even more difficult,” said Herlihy.
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Eden and Bryk expressed frustration after learning they could not quarantine their puppy as expected.
“We even consulted with a lawyer to see if we could shorten the quarantine period from 90 days in the facility and 30 days at home. It was not what we had hoped for,” Eden shared.
Jones also highlighted the emotional toll the situation has taken on her team and emphasized the rescue’s safety policies requiring gowns and gloves to protect both adopters and dogs.
“We want to reassure the public that Colorado is being extra cautious due to potential exposure in Texas before the puppies arrived. However, it’s highly unlikely for adopters to get rabies by simply being near a rabid animal,” Jones added.
Eden and Bryk expressed gratitude towards MAMCO for their support through this difficult time, although they were left heartbroken by having to part ways with their beloved puppy.
“We truly believe that we were meant to have this dog. We were entrusted with him for a reason, and we fought for him until the end,” Eden reflected.
This article was originally published by Maggy Wolanske on Scripps News Denver.
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