Maine news, sports, weather from Portland Press Herald / Maine Sunday Telegram, Portland, Maine

February 12

Scarborough pet shop remains quarantined after puppy's death

By Gillian Graham ggraham@mainetoday.com
Staff Writer

SCARBOROUGH – A Scarborough pet shop remains under quarantine after a puppy tested positive for parvovirus, a highly contagious and potentially deadly disease for dogs. 

The animal welfare division of the Department of Agriculture, Conservation and Forestry was notified Feb. 1 that a puppy sold at the Little Paws Pet Shop on Payne Road had parvovirus. The shop was ordered to keep its dogs in the store unless they were being taken to a veterinarian.

The shop also cannot bring new puppies into the store until the quarantine is lifted.

State officials said last week the quarantine would be reevaluated Monday, but the store's veterinarian was not available that day, said Jay Finegan, spokesman for the Department of Agriculture, Conservation and Forestry.

The puppy that died, a Siberian Husky named Shelby, also tested positive for giardia.

"Animal Welfare is continuing to work with the Little Paws Pet Shop and their veterinarian to resolve their disease issues," said Liam Hughes, the state's director of animal welfare. "(We are) continuing to investigate the situation, and we encourage anyone that had purchased a puppy recently from Little Paws that has a disease issue to contact the Animal Welfare program."

Hughes said the state contacted 12 to 15 people who recently bought dogs from the Little Paws Pet Shop. The state has not been notified of any other dogs purchased from the store recently who have been sick or died, he said.

Hughes said the best way to protect dogs against parvovirus is through vaccination.

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