Miami-Dade Animal Services urges adoptions, fostering amid strep zoo outbreak and overcrowding

Miami-Dade Animal Services is urging the citizens to adopt or foster pets as the county shelter battles a dangerous outbreak of Streptococcus equi zooepidemicus also known as Strep Zoo amid severe overcrowding representatives communicated Officers say that due to the shelter s overcrowded conditions the peril of transmission has grown significantly They warn that any dog brought into the facility is at high pitfall of exposure To limit the spread Animal Services is asking residents to avoid surrendering pets or bringing in stray animals unless they are sick injured or pose a danger to inhabitants safety The highly contagious bacterial infection can cause hemorrhagic pneumonia in dogs and in rare cases may affect immunocompromised individuals and other animals administrators reported Thursday Each adoption or foster placement helps reduce stress create space and prevent further spread of illness the department announced Supplies and help are available for foster families For more information on how to adopt or foster click here