The Palm Beach County Department of Public Safety's Division of Animal Care and Control (ACC) is temporarily not accepting dogs for owner surrender or stray intake until Monday, Dec. 18.  This is due to three recent cases of Streptococcus equi zooepidemicus (often referred to as Strep Zo) which resulted in the death of these three dogs.  Under the guidance of Dr. Cynda Crawford, chair of Shelter Medicine at the University of Florida, ACC is not moving any dogs into the shelter until at least three days post therapy to reduce the risk to other dogs. Animals have been quarantined, and all dogs in the shelter have received an injection and/or oral antibiotics that will kill the infection within 72 hours after the final dose. These three cases were the first time ACC has seen this virulent pathogen, and it is important for all local veterinarians, rescues and shelters to be aware of its presence.

Strep Zo is a serious emerging pathogen that has popped up in massive shelter outbreaks simultaneously (over the course of seven days) in three distant states. Outbreaks result in dogs with severe bleeding in the lungs which causes sudden unexpected death within hours.  ACC tests for this pathogen whenever a dog shows respiratory symptoms.

Many of ACC's partner agencies and rescues have stepped up to assist members of the community who are unable to delay their owner surrenders of dogs or who have found dogs that they are unable to keep until Dec. 18. The partners who are willing to take in limited numbers of emergency strays are: Furry Friends, 100 Capital Street, Jupiter, 33458; Peggy Adams Animal Rescue League, 3200 N Military Trail, West Palm Beach, 33409; Big Dog Rescue Ranch, 14444 Okeechobee Blvd., Loxahatchee Groves, 33470; and Tri-County Animal Rescue, 1287 Boca Rio Rd., Boca Raton, 33433.

PBC Animal Care & Control is located at 7100 Belvedere Road in West Palm Beach, just west of the Florida Turnpike. For more information, please call (561) 233-1200 or visit the website, www.pbcgov.com/animal​