An outbreak of disease has forced the Lied Animal Shelter to temporarily halt all adoptions and euthanize some of its animals.

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The shelter is need of clean blankets and towels, which can be dropped off during the hours of 8 a.m. and 6 p.m. to the receiving area in the parking lot at the shelter. It is located at 655 N. Mojave Road, Las Vegas.
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Three highly contagious diseases were discovered in several animals Friday morning during a routine check of the shelter's cats and dogs.   

Veterinarians immediately isolated the infected animals which are suffering from canine distemper, canine parvovirus and feline panleukopenia. 

The diseases can be fatal. Shelter workers say the most difficult one to treat is the parvovirus.

"One, it can be very tough on puppies. It's very very difficult to get rid of. They've done tests where there's parvo on the cement surface and washed it over and over again with disinfectants and the parvo is still there," said Mark Fierro, Lied Animal Shelter.

Outbreaks of similar diseases, they say, have happened here in the past, but this is the first time they've locked the shelter down in an effort to isolate it and treat it fast.

Right now vets are checking all of the animals one by one -- and there are thousands of them down there.

Lied spokesman Mark Fierro says the disease can be treated, but it's expensive and hard to get rid of.

"For the past several weeks we have had experts who have been on site," said Fierro. "We are working with them to develop a three day plan and and longer term solutions which will permanently address containment of these types of diseases."

Animal rescue volunteers say they've been told several hundred animals have been euthanized, but Lied has not confirmed that number.

Fierro says this is the only shelter that accepts all animals; none are turned away, so the possibility of animals coming down with something is not out of the picture.

Additionally, the vaccination and spay/neuter clinics are closed to the public and will not reopen until the disease outbreak is under control. The community is encouraged to seek such services from local veterinary clinics in the meantime.

"We will address this issue and in solving it, we will become a better shelter," said Fierro. "We have taken this extraordinary measure in an attempt to protect the community's pets. We believe that we will be able to return to normal operations within the next three weeks."

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