Did Texas animal control poison man's dog?

TEXAS CITY — An outbreak of an unknown illness at the county’s animal shelter in Texas City has prompted officials to euthanize 16 dogs and temporarily suspend all canine adoptions.

A La Marque man said his $1,500 pit bull mix breed died Monday at the shelter. He accused the shelter of poisoning the dog named Capone, because it attacked and killed a neighbor’s dog in February. The shelter denies the poisoning allegation.

Kurt Koopmann, a spokesman for the Galveston County Health District, said Thursday the illness outbreak could be distemper.

“We have implemented controls to lessen the chance of the spread of disease.” Koopmann said. “We don’t want to adopt animals that may be ill.”

Adoptions have been stopped for 10 days, Koopmann said, until laboratory results pinpoint the animals’ affliction.

“The dogs are examined four times a day,” Koopmann said.

“And if any symptoms are present, then they are euthanized.”

The shelter continues to take in stray dogs, but they are separated from those in quarantine, he said.

According to the American Veterinary Medical Association, distemper is a highly contagious and serious disease caused by a virus that attacks dogs’ respiratory, gastrointestinal and nervous systems.

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