Butler Co. Humane Society Reopens After Costly Parvovirus Outbreak

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RENFREW, Pa. (KDKA) -- The Butler County Humane Society reopened Wednesday after a serious virus forced the shelter to close for almost three weeks.

The closure set the shelter back financially.

"You're living it every minute. Something changes. And then another animal gets sick, and then another animal gets sick," Jennifer DiCuccio, the Butler County Humane Society executive director, said.

Volunteers were seen finishing cleaning up Wednesday morning. The shelter was hit by parvovirus, a highly contagious illness that affects dogs.

"Beds, leashes, collars -- if saliva touched it, we got rid of it. If there was a potential of saliva to touch it, we got rid of it," DiCuccio said.

It all started when an infected dog entered the shelter. Workers didn't know it at the time, as symptoms weren't obvious for days.

By the time they figured it out, it was too late. The virus had already spread.

DiCuccio says the only dogs that were affected by this were dogs that the shelter had recently taken in.

Their focus was to save the dogs, which they were able to do. But it was costly.

Medical bills and getting the shelter back on track cost them thousands of dollars.

"Think about it, it all adds up. Each penny, each dollar, each $5, it adds up," DiCuccio said.

They are seeking donations -- both monetary donations and items for the shelter.

For more information, visit butlercountyhs.org.