The Los Angeles County Department of Animal Care and Control is actively addressing a recent outbreak of canine distemper in the Lancaster area, which has been manifested by dogs brought to the Lancaster Animal Care Center.

DACC’s veterinary leadership team has been closely monitoring the situation and has consulted shelter veterinary medicine specialists from UC Davis, the ASPCA, and local community experts to ensure the most comprehensive response. The health and well-being of all animals in our care remains our highest priority.

In response to this outbreak, DACC has implemented several protocols to mitigate the spread of distemper and protect our animal population:

Regular Vaccination Protocols for Animals in our Care: DACC vaccinates all dogs and cats against core diseases. The dogs’ vaccine protocols include a distemper vaccine. Booster vaccines are provided to dogs that have been in our care for longer than two weeks.

Continued Monitored Testing for Animals in Our Care: DACC proactively and regularly conducts surveillance testing for disease of animals in our care. This practice helped to identify the distemper outbreak right away and implement enhanced cleaning and housing practices to remediate the threat.

Temporary Suspension of Dog Surgeries: To safeguard the health of our dogs, DACC has temporarily suspended all dog surgeries as these procedures can weaken a dog’s immune system. Adopters are required to leave a $50 spay/neuter trust deposit, which is refunded after they have their new dog spayed or neutered. DACC tracks all adoptions to ensure unsterilized dogs receive their surgery.

Puppy Intake Diversion: To limit exposure, we are diverting puppies brought into our care into foster care whenever possible.
Enhanced Cleaning Protocols: We have intensified our cleaning measures, conducting deep disinfection with all kennels thoroughly disinfected between occupants.

Extra Public Dog Vaccination Clinic: DACC recently held a vaccination clinic in the Lancaster community, targeting areas with a higher concentration of cases to ensure pets receive the necessary vaccinations.

Despite these proactive measures, we continue to see locally acquired cases of canine distemper in dogs brought to the Lancaster ACC. Based on DACC data, new cases of canine distemper are primarily coming from animals from the Lake Los Angeles and Lancaster (zip code 93535) communities, making containment a continuous challenge.

It is of the utmost importance that pet owners living in these areas ensure their pets are up to date on vaccines and take extra precautions such as keeping dog away from parks and unfamiliar dogs as well as disinfecting paws and surfaces regularly.

As distemper can be transmitted by wildlife such as racoons and coyotes, keeping dogs away from wildlife is very important. Do not leave pet food bowls outside that can attract wildlife, which might infect them with the virus.

“The safety of our animals and the community is our utmost concern. We are committed to doing everything possible to contain this outbreak and protect the health of all pets in our care,” said Director Marcia Mayeda. “We encourage pet owners to be vigilant and ensure their pets are vaccinated.”

We appreciate the community’s understanding and cooperation during this time. Together we can work towards safeguarding the health of our beloved pets.

About the Los Angeles County Department of Animal Care and Control (DACC) To support DACC’s efforts, please donate to the Los Angeles County Animal Care Foundation at https://lacountyanimals.org/.

To learn more about Socially Conscious Sheltering, visit https://scsheltering.org/.