The Montgomery County Animal Services and Adoption Center in Derwood closed Thursday due to an outbreak of the Canine Influenza Virus (CIV), a dog respiratory disease caused by a strain of Type A influenza virus, according to center officials.

The adoption center is closed until further notice, but the center is still receiving essential intakes of sick and injured animals and dogs that pose a threat to public safety, the center said in a release. Adoptions of other animals have been paused indefinitely.

The center’s dogs have been placed in isolation and will not be moving out of the building, the release said. Around 22 additional dogs are currently showing CIV symptoms.

“Canine influenza is a highly contagious virus that spreads rapidly through a shelter’s dog population,” Chief Veterinarian Gregory Lawrence said. “We will continue to do everything we can to prevent further spread of the virus and treat those dogs that are infected.”

CIV outbreaks have been popping up across the country recently and have impacted local shelters including the Humane Rescue Alliance in Washington D.C., in August 2023.

The symptoms of canine influenza are a cough, runny nose, eye discharge, fever, lethargy and poor appetite, according to the release. Sickness can range in severity from no symptoms to severe illness resulting in death, the release stated.

Most dogs recover from the virus within two to three weeks. However, some dogs may develop secondary bacterial infections that can lead to more severe illness, according to the release.

The virus typically spreads from infected dogs to other dogs or cats through respiratory droplets from barking, sneezing, nuzzling or coughing or through contaminated surfaces and clothing, according to the release.

CIV is not transmissible to people, but people can spread the virus to other dogs from their clothing, equipment or hands, the release said.

The county center recommends dog owners whose pets are showing symptoms of CIV to contact their veterinarian immediately for assessment and treatment. Dogs with virus symptoms should be separated from others for at least 28 days. In addition, dog owners should avoid trips to the dog park, daycare centers, grooming and boarding facilities.

Dog owners can speak with their veterinarian about having their pet receive the canine influenza vaccine. According to the county release, the vaccine is not required and is not considered a core vaccine for all dogs; however, dogs that visit dog parks, daycares, or boarding facilities are at more risk for CIV.

“The vaccine may not stop your dog from contracting the virus completely, although it will lessen the severity and help reduce the spread,” the release stated.

The county also asks residents who find lost pets or animals not to bring the animal to the shelter. Tips on locating the owner of lost pets can be found on the MCASAC “Found a Pet” page.

According to the release, the center will pair lost pets with willing foster families who have the “necessary supplies to care for the animal until the owner can be located or other placement options are determined.”

Additional precautions for dog owners include:

• Limit direct contact with other dogs when on walks. Do not allow them to sniff one another;
• Avoid using shared toys or dishes;
• Consider skipping daycare, boarding, grooming facilities and dog parks; and
• Contact your dog’s daycare or boarding facility and ask about recent cases and cleaning protocols.

More information about CIV can be found at the American Veterinary Medical Association website and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention website. The American Animal Hospital Association also has a tool to determine vaccine recommendations for dogs.

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Surveillance cameras captured the moment when a car plowed through the front doors and into Sniffers Doggie Retreat and Training Center in Rockville on the evening of May 11. According to Sniffers Doggie Retreat, the incident was an accident.

The video begins with a woman walking up to the front desk and speaking with two employees. In the background a silver car appears and stops short, close to the front entrance. Seconds later, the car is hurtling through the front doors, turning the glass entrance into shards.

The driver didn’t stop there. They accelerated into the lobby, smashing into the front desk and breaking through to the next room. A camera in that room caught the car crashing through cages before coming to a final stop. The car crashed about 30-feet into the building.

The car and its path of destruction narrowly missed the woman, two employees in the lobby and one employee in back room. No dogs were harmed, but two spooked dogs did escape from the facility.

One dog was reunited with its owner shortly after the crash. But the second dog, Macita, went missing for more than a day. She returned to the kennel on her own the morning of May 13.

Sniffers Doggie Retreat posted the video onto their Facebook and Instagram pages, thanking the community for their support since the crash. “Thank you to everyone for your support over the past few days,” they wrote. “We’ve been asked many times what exactly happened. We don’t have specifics, but we do know this was an accident.”

The Montgomery County Police Department and the Montgomery County Fire and Rescue Service did not immediately respond to requests for comment regarding the cause of the incident.

Since the crash, Sniffers has received an outpouring of support from the community. On their Facebook page they said that they won’t be starting a GoFundMe account. But they are very appreciative of community members sending lunch for the employees and welcomed gifting of Doordash gift cards instead.

They have also suggested to send donations to the rescue groups and non-profits that volunteered their time and resources to help Sniffers, such as Tailed Treasures of Maryland and Partnership for Animal Welfare.

For now, Sniffers operates out of its training lobby until everything has been repaired. The team is focused on getting the facility back to normal and ready for summer.

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