Effective immediately, the East Ridge Animal Services department and shelter (East Ridge Animal Shelter) will temporarily close to the public and stop all adoptions due to an outbreak of an undetermined illness spreading at the facility.
The temporary closure will last approximately 14 days to allow staff to initiate quarantine protocols to stop the spread of the disease and to treat animals in the care of East Ridge Animal Services who are ill. Currently, the disease is not spreading to any other animals outside the facility; and testing is ongoing. There is no risk to the general public at this time, officials said.
In response to this outbreak, East Ridge Animal Services staff are "taking immediate and decisive actions to ensure the health and safety of all animals in our care and the community."
The East Ridge Animal Shelter will resume normal operation hours on June 5 following the required quarantine period.
Important Measures and Current Operations:
· Temporary Suspension of Animal Adoptions: Effective immediately, the City of East Ridge regrets to inform the public that all animal adoptions will be temporarily suspended until further notice. This precautionary measure is necessary to prevent the further spread of the virus and allow our team to focus on the care and treatment of affected animals.
East Ridge Animal Services is committed to resolving this situation quickly and safely. East Ridge Animal Services staff are working tirelessly to provide the necessary medical care to affected animals and to implement rigorous sanitation measures to prevent the spread of the virus.
· Animal Services Emergency Calls: East Ridge Animal Services will continue to run dispatch calls as needed with the understanding that staff cannot intake any animals at this time.
East Ridge Animal Services is dedicated to promoting animal welfare and public safety through sheltering, pet adoption, education, and community outreach. Our mission is to provide a safe, compassionate, and healthy environment for the animals in our care.
We understand the impact of these temporary measures on our community and appreciate the public’s cooperation and understanding.
For updates, please feel free to contact East Ridge Animal Services directly at 423-633-7774 or visit the East Ridge Animal Services Facebook page www.facebook.com/EastRidgeAnimalServices.