At the request of the Nebraska Humane Society (NHS), we spent several weeks on the ground in Omaha, Nebraska, providing critical support after several dogs at the NHS shelter began to show signs of a respiratory illness called canine pneumovirus.

This outbreak forced the NHS team to implement emergency operations, including the quarantine of shelter dogs who were potentially exposed to the virus, as well as providing critical care for dogs who were showing signs of the illness. 

To keep the infection contained while continuing to provide care for new animals coming into the shelter, members of our National Field Response team helped operate an emergency shelter where we assisted in providing boots-on-the-ground support with daily care, behavioral support and enrichment for healthy animals. This allowed the NHS team to focus on monitoring dogs in quarantine and providing the necessary care for sick dogs in isolation.

After several weeks receiving specialized care and attention in isolation, we’re pleased to share that the dogs are back to good health and NHS has been able to return to normal operations.

With our support, NHS hosted an adoption event earlier this month where nearly 100 animals were adopted in one weekend! We continue to work with NHS to find placement opportunities for additional homeless animals in their care to free up critical space and resources.

When emergency situations like this strike without notice, it can often put a strain on shelters that are already experiencing capacity and resource challenges. We work with shelter partners across the country to provide critical resources and support during times of crisis. We are grateful to be in a position where we could deploy 30 animal welfare professionals to assist Nebraska Humane Society while they worked tirelessly to keep the animals in their care safe and healthy.