viral canine disease that broke out<\/a> in the shelters. McAllister said the staff\u2019s swift work to contain the virus\u2019 spread, coupled with new programs, helped the shelters recover and improve the live-release rate.\u00a0<\/p>\n\u201cI didn\u2019t think some grand idea was going to get us to 90%,\u201d McAllister said. \u201cIt was a lot of little things, and just over time, all these little things will add up and make a difference. I think that\u2019s what we\u2019re seeing now.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
The shelter epidemic ultimately infected 93 animals and forced veterinary staff to euthanize 38 of them. Fort Worth closed its animal shelters for nearly a month, halting the intake of animals during the outbreak.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Reflecting in December on the shutdown, McAllister maintained that there\u2019s nothing the staff could have done to avoid the infection, noting that municipal shelters\u2019 obligation to take in strays naturally poses the risk of bringing in diseases.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cAny shelter, regardless of their cleaning protocols, they’re going to deal with this \u2014 because you just never know,\u201d McAllister said.\u00a0<\/p>\n
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