KAR Update May 10th 2018

[KAR]

Latest update re KAR Lockdown.......we know that many people have supported KAR tremendously during what has been, for everyone at KAR, a horrific time and we are so grateful for that as we would have had real difficulty dealing with the outbreak in the way that we have. Your help and support has been instrumental in us being able to save many dogs lives.
We also know that we need to try and keep everyone updated as much as we can. However sometimes it is hard to find the time to explain the current status at the Rescue Centre as it has been changing daily so we apologise if we have been a bit lapse in getting any information out to you.

As of May 10th - we are quietly, very quietly (Sshhh!!) confident that we are slowly getting on top of the Distemper outbreak. However we are still having new cases cropping up (due to the incubation periods for distemper which can be up to 5 months) of dogs that are showing symptoms. We have many dogs that are still on extra vitamins in the hope that we can build their immune system up. All dogs who could be vaccinated have been vaccinated – but we have others who are not well enough or strong enough yet to have their vaccinations - but they will have them when they can.

The situation is still very serious and we are sorry to say that our Lockdown is likely to continue for some time - but it is vital that we continue to try to protect our remaining dogs plus it is absolutely vital that we do all that we can to STOP the disease from spreading further.
The Lockdown period is difficult for us to determine exactly. Following advice from vets here (and from other Countries who have been through similar outbreaks and have also been very supportive) we will be staying in Lockdown for at least 12 weeks after the last set of shown symptoms. So whenever we have a new symptomatic case we have to calculate the Lockdown from the last day of those symptoms. If another case shows then that will be the new calculating case.
We have had new symptomatic cases this week and so we will be in Lockdown for at least another 12 weeks. We have all been building our hopes up that we have seen the last and are over it but then another symptomatic dog shows - it is a very cruel and emotionally draining disease to deal with.

During Lockdown no dogs/puppies can come in or go out of the Centre – Centre dog walking is not operating and any visitors to the Centre are very restricted to specific areas. We rely on our Centre visitors who often bring us goodies, donations and support – being in Lockdown has obviously dramatically reduced those visitors, goodies, donations and support.

So we still need your help.
PLEASE do not bring us dogs or puppies - we CANNOT take them in.
PLEASE continue to keep bringing us vitamins and tasty food (chicken luncheon meat, tinned dog food etc) to hide the vitamins in. Plus the recovering weak dogs need good quality food to help them recover quicker.
PLEASE continue to donate cash - our vet bills are still ongoing and ongoing and ongoing!!!.
PLEASE carry on donating items for us to sell - or donate your time in helping us sort the items even if you can only do so once - once is a great help.
PLEASE carry on spreading the word - we are in LOCKDOWN and will remain so until such a time is necessary – to do otherwise would be extremely foolhardy. We need to deal with this outbreak in a professionally recognized method – for the protection of not just the dogs in our Centre but also for the community at large

[sophie]

And to those people that I have heard say "they brought it on themselves because they (KAR) don't put their new pups in quarantine long enough" please stop this nonsense and those who don't believe that LOCKDOWN MEANS LOCKDOWN TO EVERYONE. Don't think you are being singled out and then blatantly ignore the warning. 99% are doing the right thing, please don't be the 1%!!

[sally4670]

I wonder if the other "Municipality" run shelters (who are funded by the authorities - unlike KAR who have to rely on donations) who were also in LockDown because they have distemper are being so responsible - chances ??? If they open too early and dogs are taken in and go out then surely the whole thing can just start up again. It only takes 1 dog to spread it outside to other dogs who haven't been vaccinated or are sickly anyway. Then the new infected ones get taken into the shelter and boom anouther outbreak,