ENGLEWOOD, Colo. — The past week has been a nightmare for the director of Moms & Mutts Colorado Rescue for Pregnant & Nursing Dogs (MAMCO), who was ordered by state health officials to surrender all puppies of a litter after one of the dogs tested positive for rabies following an adoption event last month in Englewood.
"I'm getting death threats. People are threatening to bomb the rescue. It's out of control," said Aron Jones, director of MAMCO.
After a puppy tested positive for rabies following a July 20 MAMCO adoption event, the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment (CDPHE) ordered all of the littermates to be seized — including a puppy named Musubi, who was brought home by Jessica Eden. She told Denver7 she was initially told that quarantining the puppy was an option.
Englewood
Puppy adoption event in Englewood may have exposed people to rabies: CDPHE
"We went from, 'Oh, it's going to be 10 days' to 120 days, to maybe 90 days, to just kidding — we're coming to get your dog and he needs to be put down,'" said Eden about having to give her dog up to be euthanized.
All 11 litter mates were euthanized as the only way to test a dog for rabies is during a necropsy.
"One other puppy, true, tested positive. The other 10 puppies were all negative," said Jones. "You never want to put down a healthy animal, and that goes against what we believe in. So it's been awful."
The original court order also asked for contact information connected to all animals that were at the rescue on the days leading up to the event. But recently, Jones received another call from state officials.
"They were asking me for a list of names, addresses, phone numbers of everyone who adopted [a dog] since the 20th," said Jones.
Including pets that she said, never came in contact with the original litter.
"The first round, when all of the adopters were being contacted, [the State] gave them the option of quarantine vs. euthanasia. They gave them that option, then they took it away. So I'm afraid. I'm genuinely scared," said Jones of offering up more pet parent information.
Pets
11 puppies to be euthanized after rabies exposure during Sheridan adoption event
State health officials released a statement Wednesday saying, "CDPHE is not requesting the surrender of any animals outside the original litter of 12. We are continuing to assess exposures other dogs may have had to these dogs and making recommendations to help keep them healthy."
CDPHE officials went on to say post-exposure prophylaxis has been recommended to 37 individuals who may have been exposed and officials expect that number to grow as they interview more people who have come in contact with either of the two puppies that tested positive.
Jones said the messaging about rabies vaccines is mixed depending on which health officials she talks to.
"[State officials] were looking at 17 people to have rabies vaccinations. But the majority of the different county health departments have suggested that we did not need a rabies vaccine," said Jones. "It's extremely frustrating. It's been so frustrating because the left hand doesn't know what the right hand is doing, and we're getting all these mixed messages, and it's confusing."
CDPHE said a significant factor in their investigation is the incubation period of rabies:
"Rabies has an incubation period in dogs that is usually 3-12 weeks, but it can vary in range from days to months. A dog can be infectious prior to symptom onset since the virus can be present in the dog’s saliva very soon after the virus has begun to affect the dog’s brain. Rabies is fatal in dogs, and for much of that time preceding symptom onset and until death, they are contagious to other animals and humans. It’s not possible to be contagious with rabies and then, at some point, not be contagious."
The MAMCO director said they will cooperate as best they can, while also protecting families from the potential heartbreak of euthanasia.
"Rabies is serious. Rabies scary. It's fatal. Absolutely everybody should be alarmed by this, and I'm not downplaying the seriousness of rabies, but I really think people need to look at the science and what the science says, and understand that the likelihood that anyone was contagious at that event is almost non existent," said Jones.
CDPHE officials said they're only doing what's best for public health.
"As a public health agency, our mission is to protect public health. Rabies is fatal in people and animals. We are doing all we can to ensure everyone is safe," a CDPHE official said in a statement.
Anyone who interacted with the July Shepherd Mix litter (also known as “The Celebrity Kids” litter) on Saturday, July 20, at 2721 W. Oxford Ave. in Englewood, was urged to call the health department’s hotline at 303-692-2700 during business hours, or 303-370-9395 after hours/weekends/holidays to determine whether they need to get a rabies vaccine. People may also email cdphe_zoonoses@state.co.us.
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