Newsroom

In the “Newsroom” portion of SEAACA’s website, articles and information relevant to animal control and SEAACA will be posted periodically providing information for the community.

Enjoy the Newsroom!

SEAACA debuts new cat enclosures

New Cat Portals

DOWNEY – The Southeast Area Control Authority (SEAACA) recently retrofitted feline enclosures with portal doors.

With the support of UC Davis’ Koret Shelter Medicine program and funding provided through the California for All Cats and Dogs Grant, the portal doors were successfully installed in one day.

A cat portal is a circular door and frame placed in the sidewall of the kennels. Portals transform single, traditional feline kennels into a multi-compartment “cat condos”. This enhancement provides a number of benefits to the cats housed in the kennels including but not limited to:

  • Providing additional space
  • Separation of spaces for eating/sleeping/defecating etc.
  • Reduces stress which lowers the likelihood of illness
  • Felines show better for adoption
  • Allows cleaning of the kennels without having to relocate cats

“Once learning about portal doors and their benefits, we made it a goal to incorporate them at SEAACA to enhance our Care Center’s traditional feline housing layout.” said SEAACA Executive Director, Denise Woodside. “We are so fortunate to have been gifted the portals and expertise to install them successfully and swiftly. I have been overwhelmed with joy to see that SEAACA’s team was so supportive and enthusiastic of this project.

“The next step is for the team to see the felines benefit from the retrofitting. Although the Care Center provides temporary housing, it is important to support and nurture felines’ natural instincts while they are in our care.”

The updates are supported by years of science and research from industry professions such as those from University of California, Davis. UC Davis’ School of Veterinary Medicine is the leading veterinary school in the country. Additionally, the UC Davis Koret Shelter Medicine Program provides recommendations and resources based on research and science.

Dr. Denae Wagner DVM, MPVM from University of California, Davis is the developer engineer of the portal doors. Dr. Wagner and the UC Davis, Koret Shelter Medicine Program work tirelessly through the use of science to support animals, shelters and communities. For this project, Dr. Wagner personally drove down from Davis, California with the portals and installation equipment.

Dr. Denae Wagner said, “What a great day for SEAACA and their shelter cats. I am so glad to have been a part of making this happen. It never gets old for me to get out my tools, dive in and install portals into cat cage housing. Portals make such a world of difference for shelter cats. Housing with two compartments means they have a living side where their bed, food and water is and a bathroom side which cats much prefer. They stay healthier and happier which is something we all are striving for. Today’s install of portals was a team effort too. There was great support from the SEAACA team and BAB Construction. Nice work all.”

Residents interested in adopting a pet can visit SEAACA during animal browsing hours, which are Wednesday through Friday, 1-3 pm. Animals can also be viewed online at seaaca.org.

Reposted from: The Downey Patriot
https://www.thedowneypatriot.com/articles/seaaca-debuts-new-cat-enclosures

Canine Influenza H3N2 (CIV H3N2) outbreak

People with kitten kits standing in front of shelter sign

Canine Influenza H3N2 (CIV H3N2) outbreak

  • From July to September 2021, there have been over 1000 confirmed and suspected cases of CIV H3N2 reported in LA County and 5 dogs have died from the disease.
  • This outbreak is spreading rapidly throughout LA County, affecting many pet boarding and daycare facilities. Some pets have also been infected at dog parks, while on walks, and other places where they come near other dogs.
  • Clinical signs include: cough, fever, sneezing, discharge from the nose, lethargy and loss of appetite. Signs vary from no symptoms to developing severe or fatal pneumonia.
  • Dog can get sick from direct contact with other dogs that are infected, through coughing or sneezing, or by contact with contaminated objects (clothing, shoes, food and water bowls, toys, etc.).
  • Testing for the virus is available from your veterinarian.
  • Dogs with CIV H3N2 can be contagious to other dogs for several weeks after recovery.

    • Canine leptospirosis outbreak

  • From July to September 2021, 107 confirmed and 16 suspected cases of leptospirosis have been reported and 6 dogs have died from the disease.
  • Most of the cases are associated with places where dogs gather (boarding, daycare, dog parks). Some cases have been exposed on walks around their neighborhood.
  • Clinical signs include: lack of energy, loss of appetite, urinating excessively, drinking excessively, and vomiting. Some dogs do not have symptoms. A number of cases progress to severe kidney or liver damage and require hospitalization.
  • Dogs can get sick when they have contact with the bacteria either in the soil, in the water, or in the urine of infected dogs or wildlife.
  • Testing for this disease is available from your veterinarian.
  • Leptospirosis is zoonotic. Humans can contract this disease from infected pets by exposure to the pet’s urine. Gloves
    • should be worn when cleaning up urine from an infected pet.

    Protect your pet and help stop the spread of these diseases:

  • Vaccinate dogs against both CIV H3N2 and leptospirosis, especially before entering boarding or daycare facilities or coming in contact with other dogs.
  • Keep sick or infected dogs at home:
    • For CIV H3N2 – keep sick dogs home for 28 days from the first day of illness.
    • For leptospirosis – keep dogs at home until medication is finished.

    • For more information: http://publichealth.lacounty.gov/vet

    Download this article

    Kitten Kits Help the Public Participate in Lifesaving

    People with kitten kits standing in front of shelter sign

    Kitten season is well underway around the country, and Network partners are implementing all kinds of strategies to cope with the influx. If your organization hasn’t tried a “Don’t Kit-Nap Kittens” campaign, they are very effective at educating people about the fact that many “orphaned” kittens are not orphaned at all and have the greatest chance of survival if they are left with mom. For those neonates that do end up at the shelter when people find them, the most promising programs are those that ask the public to play a significant role in caring for these most fragile beings.

    Read more on Network.BestFriends.org

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