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Seventy-two cats have been killed and 14 have died after an outbreak of disease at the Miami-Dade Animal Shelter. About 40 more healthy felines have been been moved r due to the disease, which is called panleukopenia.
A group called Undercats 4 Life is attempting to find homes for some of the cats.
The blow comes just as Miami-Dade Animal sevices was starting to recover from a scandal in which its director, Sara Pizano, resigned.
Pizano left after several documented cases of neglect and abuse at the underfunded facility in Medley. Animal groups had pushed for more compassionate treatment of animals there. More than 7000 people signed a petition demanding her departure.
It is unclear whether neglect led to the situation in the shelter, The disease that many of cats contracted is highly infectious and often spread when animals com near others’ feces and urine,.
When the county closed the old animal services facility last March, officials promised to imrprove care and clean up the facility. It doesn’t seem like they kept their word.
