Puppies Diagnosed With Parvo at Manchester Rescue Facility

Some dog adoptions are on hold at a busy facility in Manchester.

Three puppies from a recent litter brought back from Tennessee developed an intestinal illness.

Those same puppies, recently adopted from “Save All Dogs, Inc.” were diagnosed with the parvovirus, a highly contagious illness resulting in vomiting and diarrhea.

The NBC Connecticut Troubleshooters were alerted to the problem by one of the puppy’s new owners.

Kristi Glowacki's concern prompted the Connecticut Department of Agriculture to follow up.

Glowacki paid more than $400 to adopt an 8-week-old Boxer mix on Black Friday.

“He’s basically my baby. I definitely would not be doing this if i didn’t feel that way,” Glowacki said.

Three days after Glowacki brought "Alpha" home, the dog got sick.

“Between the constant IV, he can’t keep any fluid in. He won’t eat at all. He has to get x-rays of his intestines just in case those are having a block. He needs extra medications because he can’t keep anything in on either end,” Glowacki told NBC Connecticut after taking the dog to the vet of her choosing in Cheshire.

Alpha’s treatment will cost more than $4,000, according vet bills Glowacki showed the Troubleshooters. The first bill alone totaled more than $1,900.

“Our accountant already mailed out a reimbursement check for that amount,” Chris Carty, co-founder of "Save All Dogs" said. The Troubleshooters verified Glowacki received that payment.

Alpha is not the only sick dog. Of the five boxer puppies brought up from Tennessee last week, three tested positive for the K9 parvovirus.

Carty and adoption associate, Katie Kelleher, say all of the puppies received a clean bill of health before they were put up for adoption.

“When they were checked by our vet there were zero signs, zero symptoms. No one could have known they were incubating the disease,” Kelleher said.

Carty said his organization will help the owners of the sick puppies with vet bills. That money, he says, will come from his other business, “The Dog House,” which is run out of the same building, but operates independently from “Save All Dogs, Inc.”

“We’re able to help Kristi and this other gentleman through funds that will be given to us by The Dog House.

“Save All Dogs Inc.” also implemented a voluntary quarantine of 15 other dogs.

Thursday morning, officials with the Department of Agriculture followed up on Glowacki's complaint to the Troubleshooters.

“We did an inspection of the facility. We checked their medical records on imported animals and everything was in compliance," Raymond Connors, animal control supervisor for the Department of Agriculture said. "They have self-quarantined on advice of their veterinarian on the rescue dogs they’ve had come in on that transport from Tennessee. Our department will be doing a formal quarantine of that facility just for the rescue dogs that did come in on that transport. No dogs can go in or out of that area for 10 more days.”

Carty says he hopes this doesn’t discourage families from adopting his animals.

“It is an unfortunate situation and this disease can be devastating. I don’t feel we’re at fault. It’s a lose-lose situation because we’re saving these dogs basically from kill shelters down south, and trying to find them homes up here,” Carty said.

The Troubleshooters have learned in the almost year they’ve been in operation, “Save All Dogs, Inc.” received one complaint that resulted in a written warning for a violation for failing to provide vet exams within 48-hours of being brought back to Connecticut from Tennessee. It is a step that is required by law.

Carty responded to the Troubleshooters with a statement about the violation.

“In April of 2016, Save All Dogs received a frantic call from a Tennessee rescue group that dozens of dogs were going to be euthanized if they weren’t rescued immediately after being saved from an abusive hoarding situation. Save All Dogs immediately traveled to Tennessee on a Sunday, rescuing them, and bringing them back to Connecticut. Due to the fact that this happened over the weekend, our veterinarian was not able to examine the dogs within the required 48-hour period, but did so within 60 hours. This was a risk we were willing to take as the alternative was death for these dogs. Today these animals are living in loving homes where they have been given a second chance at life."

The Department of Agriculture says complaints like Glowacki's need to be reported directly to them.

They also recommend people do their research before adopting a pet. Check with their office, records are always available.

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