Lockdown Behind the Kennels: Canine Distemper Outbreak Shuts Down Orkney & Klerksdorp Animal Shelter
- Karen Scheepers
- 4 hours ago
- 2 min read
Orkney & Klerksdorp Animal Shelter officially announced a total lockdown of its facilities last week. Faced with a outbreak of the highly contagious and often fatal Canine Distemper Virus (CDV), the shelter has moved into an emergency quarantine phase to protect its current residents and the local pet population.
A Community Under Quarantine
In an urgent public notice, shelter management confirmed that all normal operations have been suspended with immediate effect. This "temporary halt" is a preventative strike aimed at containing a virus known for its devastating impact on the respiratory, gastrointestinal, and nervous systems of dogs.
The following restrictions are now in place:
Adoptions Paused: No animals will be rehomed until the site is cleared.
No Public Access: Foot traffic is restricted to essential staff to prevent cross-contamination.
Intake Freeze: The shelter cannot accept new dogs, barring extreme cases handled at management's discretion.
The shelter team, working alongside local veterinarians, is currently focused on a rigorous "containment and sanitation" protocol. This includes isolating symptomatic animals and implementing a deep-clean of all kennel blocks.
The Fight for Sanitation: How You Can Help
Containing an airborne and surface-clinging virus like Distemper requires an industrial-scale cleaning effort. The shelter has reported a massive spike in the use of medical-grade cleaning agents and is appealing to the Klerksdorp and Orkney communities for assistance.
To facilitate this, Conquest Chemicals in Klerksdorp has stepped up as a community partner, offering significant discounts for those who wish to purchase supplies directly for the shelter’s use:
Item Needed | Discount Offered |
Black Dip | 20% Off |
Germicidal Disinfectant | 20% Off |
Hypo (Bleach) | 10% Off |
Supporters can contact Conquest Chemicals at 018 011 1830 to arrange for donations, which the shelter has committed to collecting.
Looking Ahead
While the gates remain locked for now, the shelter’s mission continues behind the scenes. This period of quarantine is a sobering reminder of the fragile nature of animal rescue and the constant battle against infectious diseases. Management has expressed deep gratitude for the community's patience and has promised regular updates as they work toward a "safe-to-open" status. For now, the focus remains on the animals fighting for their lives inside the walls of the facility.
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