Animal shelter remains closed; community showing its support

LEXINGTON, Ky. (WTVQ) – An outpouring of community support is helping the Lexington Humane Society and Lexington-Fayette Animal Care and Control get through a rough patch, as the shelter remains closed because of an infection.

On Monday, it was announced the shelter would be temporarily closed as it undergoes a 14-day cleaning and quarantine to get rid of a bacterial infection known as “Strep Zoo.”

Seven dogs have died. Lexington Humane Society President Susan Malcomb says test results for Strep Zoo came back positive for three, one came back negative and they are awaiting the results of the other three.

Malcomb says now that they know what they are dealing with, they can swab an animal that doesn’t appear well to see if it’s Strep Zoo. They can also swab the facility for the presence of the bacteria.

She says over the past three days, the shelter has spent more than $14,000 battling the infection. She says the community response has been “amazing” and that donations since the announcement have almost equaled that amount. She also says people have been dropping off supplies and food for the staff as they clean the facility and care for the animals.

The Lexington Humane Society contacted everyone who adopted a pet seven days prior to the discovery of the infection. Malcomb says almost all adopters have returned to pick up antibiotics to treat their pet.

After Strep Zoo was discovered at the shelter, Lexington Humane Society adoptions at PetSmart were suspended. Malcolm says adoptions at PetSmart resumed Thursday and the shelter sent some cats, a few rabbits and two rats named “Laverne” and “Shirley” there to find a forever home.

The shelter is expected to reopen on December 18th.

For information on how you can help the Lexington Humane Society, go to .