Parvovirus Outbreak at The Harford County Humane Society

A friend, (I use the colloquium lightly), reminded me that I overstep. I am fairly certain she just wanted to bark; "STAY IN YOUR OWN LANE!," but she is incapable of confrontation, so simple self-reflective corrections, (as if she is some expert on manners), is her go-to.

I suppose there is some merit to her observations. I will choose to ignore them as an insultive reminder to her lack of directness. This is, afterall, a battle of egos amongst a nest of Karens. This world we all reside in is now too full of too much access and too many people. All of these crowds with their noses in everyone else's business. The suburban version of DOGE, now ubiquitous with the American dream, and its amendment yet to be numbered. 

In my defense, (somewhere early on I need to say this), I am an open animal welfare advocate. There are no geographical boundaries for this calling. I am also a private practice veterinarian and hospital owner. It is the oldest privately owned practice in the county. 

This all stems from my previous encounters as a volunteer veterinarian at my local animal shelter. A few years ago I volunteered my time, along with one of our technicians, every Wednesday at the shelter. I would arrive to see the list of new intakes. These were the pets who had been recently found or surrendered. All of these pets were given examinations, vaccinated, and dewormed. We also checked for microchips and made sure every pet was treated compassionately and given every opportunity to make the shelter experience short lived and comfortable. There was an amazing team of pet care professionals whom I trusted and believed in. They were there for the residents of the shelter. That much was obvious. 

Above the staff members that I knew and worked with questions loomed. There was always a degree of concern that resources were available to meet the needs of the shelter. The allocation of resources to meet these needs was perceived as inconsistent and incongruous. It always appeared as if the Board, and as extension of their power, the Executive Director and their management team, were more focused on the public/social media face and needed incoming donations. There is a lot of money, a few self-inflated egos, and a list of cronies decades old to account for this. People are scared to talk. Scared to be questioned, and all share the same empathy for animals. It is a cat and mouse game of hushing rumors, and convenient plausible deniability. There are many, many, many animals who have paid with their lives to be a part of this story. I will always remain focused here. I suspect that I will be alone for much of this journey. The accusations from the shelter have already begun. If you are afraid to be transparent hurl accusations. The HCHS has fired dozens of volunteers, employees and staff who dare to inquire/advocate.  There is a veiled face of meeting the obligations of the contract HCHS holds with Harford County, and a convenient reality that they are "private" therefore immune to scrutiny, transparency, and oversight outside of their own infrastructure. 

 

From their website; see HCHS About tab

The Humane Society of Harford County, Inc., is a non-profit, 501(c)(3) charitable organization dedicated to the welfare and well-being of the approximately 3,500 animals that come to us each year.

Our Mission

The Humane Society of Harford County promotes the humane treatment of homeless, stray and abandoned animals by providing shelter, care, adoptions and community education.

Our Vision

Our vision is to end pet overpopulation and to advocate and educate for the humane treatment of animals.

• The Humane Society is an open-admission shelter. We accept every Harford County animal that is brought through our doors, if we cannot help the pet stay in it’s home.
• We give the animals the food, shelter, warmth, medical care and loving attention they desperately need.
• We subscribe to the Five Freedoms: freedom from hunger or thirst; freedom from discomfort; freedom from pain, injury or disease; freedom to express normal behavior; and freedom from fear and distress.
• Although we are not part of the Harford County government or the Humane Society of the US, we do act as the County’s sole facility for the care and treatment of animals. This means that animals found as strays, or seized by animal control, come to our shelter to be cared for and rehabilitated if possible.
• We are an independent nonprofit organization, and rely on the charitable support of friends like you to enable us to continue our lifesaving work.

Our Values

• We value every animal entrusted to our care.
• We value our employees, who give so much in caring for our animals.
• We value our volunteers, fosters and supporters, who generously contribute their time, talents and resources to support our mission.
• We value our role in the community, and are always striving to improve the way animals and humans are treated.

Page 13 of the HCHS Standards Of Care Manual provides this: 

VIII. EUTHANASIA A. POLICY Euthanasia is performed at HSHC in a humane manner as needed to maintain a manageable population of healthy, treatable, and adoptable animals. Euthanasia for space is always an absolute last resort, when all other options have been exhausted. The Executive Director, Shelter Operations Director, and Shelter Veterinary Director must jointly approve all euthanasia decisions. The signature of the Executive Director as well as either the Shelter Veterinary Director or Shelter Operations Director is required on the euthanasia approval forms. Only two to three medical staff and/or animal care staff that are certified in euthanasia or are trained to assist are allowed to be present during the euthanasia process. This is to ensure a smooth and stress-free environment for the animal as well as the person(s) performing euthanasia. The Executive Director may make special exceptions to this policy in his/her discretion. The Responsible Individual listed on the Maryland Department of Agriculture Animal Control Facility License must be euthanasia certified, per Maryland State Law.

It appears that this document was taken from BARCS. It further does not appear to be updated yearly, and does not provide accurate information wrt the euthanasia of the 3 parvo positive dogs euthanized on or about 3/10/25.

Letter to the Executive Director of the HCHS. 

Ms. Hickman, acting Executive Director HCHS,

At present, I have called and left a message at your number at the shelter twice. Once on 3/11 and again today. I still await a call back on both.

I am seeking clarification on the outbreak of parvovirus of 4 dogs (that I know of) from last week. Specifically Monday 3/10 through Wednesday 3/12/2025.

Jarrettsville Veterinary Center called the shelter on 3/10 as soon as we were notified via email distribution of the outbreak.  I also reached out to the company representative that provides the iv treatment for this disease to ascertain more doses in the case of additional dogs coming up positive for this disease. We offered all of this at no cost. I also offered all of the supplies and a place off site to assist with providing these treatments. 

The result was that no one from the shelter took us up on the offer and no dogs were treated. With this I am seeking the following information;

1. When were dogs discovered as being sick? Please provide date, time and which veterinarian, or veterinary care member, was involved.

2. When were these dogs tested? I would like to get an understanding of the number of dogs exposed, number of dogs vaccinated before exposure, and the number that tested positive?

3. Of those that tested positive, which veterinarian oversaw their care?

4. It is my understanding that all of the dogs in the shelter who tested positive were euthanized. Is this correct? If so, who euthanized them? Which veterinarian oversaw this and which veterinarian determined this was the appropriate treatment course?

5. What is the protocol for who decides which animals are euthanized? Does this follow the guidelines as published online for the HCHS SOC guidelines?

6. Were the recently adopted dogs notified that they may have been exposed? If so, what was offered to these newly adopted dogs owners wrt care and treatment options if they were parvo positive?

I hope that you can help clarify some of these. If you cannot please provide me with the name(s) of those who can. 

It appears that I did not contact the correct HCHS personnel to get the treatment options these dogs might have benefitted from. I am also concerned that I never received a call back from you, so I am puzzled as to who makes decisions for the animals in the HCHS's care.

Thank you for your time,

I await your response. If this needs to be directed to someone else please let me know,

Dr Magnifico

Jarrettsville Vet Center

The response;

Hello Dr.Magnifico,

                Thank you for reaching out. I am currently out of the office so have not yet received a voicemail. It was my understanding that you had previously called myself as well as our Clinic Manager, simultaneously, whom did maintain communication with your office. There was no need to duplicate efforts and confuse matters. While we appreciate your offer for services, we did not require them at the time. We did however reach out to every adopter that had been served between 3/1 and 3/12 to offer those treatments from Jarrettsville Vet. A total of 3 dogs were euthanized due to Parvo, 2 in house and 1 while under the care of AEH. A decision never made lightly and always in accordance with our SOC, County MOU and internal protocol. 

While we appreciate the support of our local veterinary community and strive to maintain these relationship’s, I would like to remind you that we are a shelter, not private veterinary practice with the financial luxury of gold standard care. The unfortunate reality is one that includes euthanasia as an outcome for some of these animals. In the future feel free to continue to reach out to either myself or our Clinic Manager.             

Thank you again for all that you do. 

My reply;

Thank you for your prompt reply.

The treatment offered for the parvovirus dogs was being given at no cost. Was this not provided to you? I feel that it was very clear to everyone we spoke to.

I will ask for a meeting with the Board to review the questions I asked. 

While I appreciate the challenges at a shelter I do believe every effort should be made to treat animals.  Unless I am mistaken it appears that you cannot, or did not, provide the veterinary oversight I inquired about. To have a treatment options provided at no cost to the shelter and no veterinarian at the forefront of an infectious disease outbreak is troubling. 

Sincerely 

Dr Magnifico 

Email exchange from April 4, 2025 Hickm <amandah@harfordshelter.org>	Sat, Apr 5, 9:48 AM

Dr.Magnifico, 

      Our official statement regarding this matter is available online via the following link. 

Parvovirus & the Shelter Response - The Humane Society of Harford County

Parvovirus & the Shelter Response We’d like to address the misinformation being disseminated about our recent brush with parvovirus in our canine population. Much to our dismay, the information being presented is false and is misleading people to believe that there are deceptive and inhumane practices at the shelter. The only authority about what is happening at the shelter is … Continued www.harfordshelter.org

Best,

 

---

From: Krista Magnifico 
Sent: Friday, April 4, 2025 10:36 AM
To: Amanda Hickman <amandah@harfordshelter.org>
Subject: HCHS

 

Before publishing your response to my first email about the parvo situation I wanted to remind you of the following; I offered  free help to these dogs before any social media posts happened. I also asked for specific information to clarify the actions and decisions made on their behalf and was dismissed.

I do not believe the shelter had any intention to help treat the puppies at the shelter with the parvovirus monoclonal antibody treatment we had an offered for free, nor do I believe a veterinarian was the primary caregiver and overseer of their care.

Ultimately the truth always comes out and based on the shelters previous actions you will likely be the person who it falls upon to be held responsible. I was genuine in my offer and I remain genuine in my intentions to help any and every animal I can.

I’m not afraid to stand up to advocate for an animal. These dogs deserved a chance, like every animal does. There are so many people who are affected by this. Their voices and the pets they love also deserve to be heard.


Sincerely,
Dr Magnifico


To summarize  and to clarify; 4 dogs in total (that we were told about) were euthanized, (not 3 that the ED stated). Did she not know how many? She is 1 of only 3 people that can authorize a euthanasia on the HCHS premises. I have spoken to the other 2 who can authorize it and they did not.

The questions remain;

Were any of these dogs under their stray hold? If so, what was done to insure someone's pet was not denied a chance at treatment/survival?

Who is incharge of euthanizing? Is it one of 3 people for strays? 2 out of 3 people for residents? Who is the ranking decision maker currently? An ED with no animal experience?

Under what guidelines are animals euthanized?

If that animal has a rescue who has agreed to take them why were they euthanized before the rescue came for them? (ex Junior and his brother). The question remains; did a licensed veterinarian authorize Juniors euthanasia? 

Why isn't infectious disease managed solely by the most appropriate person to do so; a veterinarian?

Why wouldn't the shelter have told me,, our veterinary team, that all of the dogs had already been euthanized while we discussed how to help them on March 10/11?

Why are so many volunteers being terminated who consistently state that they were terminated when they spoke up for the animals in their care? 

Why does the Board state that they "do not have direct involvement with the shelters activities yet deny meeting with those who do? 

Is the separation of duties, oversight and responsibility a mere convenient excuse for plausible deniability? If you have the responsibility to hire and fire don't you also have the responsibility of oversight?

What is my lane? Well, if I am overstepping I would add that it is impossible for me to be made aware, and in this case I am directly responsible for the actions/inactions of 4 dogs who had a chance at survival at no cost, and were instead euthanized without (apparently) no veterinary oversight, (except the one case that was sent to the ER), and a long list of grievances about animal care that was so compelling I called the head of AC to report them (to date still no response from them). The state of Maryland has a law that can be found here about mandatory reporting. Was there cruelty, neglect, mismanagement, and denial of veterinary care that is available? If there are protocols to protect the lives of the pets at the shelter and they aren't being followed, then yes. The answer is yes.

Where are we now? The HCHS has asked for an additional $500 to be added to their budget. Why would the taxpayers want to provide additional funds when the shelter has so many unanswered and unresolved concerns about the welfare, safety, and protocols to protect the pets and the pet loving people of their community. See more on this here.

The HCHS response to the parvovirus outbreak, March 2025

There is a lack of transparency, a retribution approach to whistle blowers with inquiries, and a deceitful response to challenging actions at the shelter. Based on previous tactics to avoid, deny and dismiss their publicly posted response is provided here. I am posting it as I presume they will remove this once the public scrutiny becomes unavoidable.

Parvovirus & the Shelter Response

We’d like to address the misinformation being disseminated about our recent brush with parvovirus in our canine population. Much to our dismay, the information being presented is false and is misleading people to believe that there are deceptive and inhumane practices at the shelter. The only authority about what is happening at the shelter is the shelter itself.

Facts About HSHC

1. We are an independent non-profit 501(c)(3) open admission shelter and have served the Harford County community since 1946. On average we care for nearly 3,500 homeless, stray and abandoned animals annually.

2. We are not a private, for-profit, veterinary practice.

3. We are not a division of the Harford County Government.

–> Want to know more about Shelter Medicine? Click HERE.

Facts About Parvovirus

1. We vaccinate every animal that comes to the shelter with the DAPP vaccine. DAPP stands for Distemper-Adenovirus-Parainfluenza-Parvovirus. Puppies and unvaccinated adult dogs are most susceptible to parvo, and  unfortunately, if a dog has already been exposed to parvo before arriving at the shelter, the vaccine will not be entirely effective. It can take up to 14 days for symptoms to appear after a dog is infected.

2. According to the American Veterinary Medical Association, the symptoms of parvo are:

• • • • • lethargy
        • loss of appetite
        • vomiting
        • severe (often bloody) diarrhea
        • abdominal pain and bloating
        • fever or low body temperature (hypothermia)

Persistent vomiting and diarrhea can quickly cause dehydration, and damage to the intestines and immune system can cause septic shock. This can lead to death, with most deaths occurring within 48 to 72 hours after signs first appear.

3. Also, according to the American Veterinary Medical Association, vaccinations and other preventive measures—including good hygiene—are key to avoiding canine parvovirus infection.

4. Parvo can live in the environment, on surfaces and even our pets, for a very long time and can be difficult to eradicate.

5. Treatment in severe cases includes 24-hour supportive care, IV fluids and full isolation. Caregivers must wear full PPE and discard all bedding, bowls, etc.

Facts About Parvovirus at the Shelter

1. On February 10th, a young dog was picked up as a stray by Animal Control and presented with mild symptoms. Upon arrival he was immediately isolated; SNAP tested for Parvo and received a positive result. With supportive care, his symptoms quickly subsided, and he is now fully recovered and has been adopted. There was no risk posed to the shelter’s population given the immediate isolation protocol.
**SNAP tests are rapid ELISA diagnostic devices (enzyme linked immunosorbent assay)**

2. On February 23rd we received 2 young dogs from Animal Control. On March 6th, one of these dogs was transferred to the Animal Emergency Hospital for symptoms unrelated to Parvo. Shortly after arrival to the emergency hospital the dog began exhibiting symptoms, was SNAP tested and confirmed positive for Parvo. On March 7th, due to declining health, the difficult decision was made to humanely euthanize.

3. On March 10th we received another adult dog as a stray from the general public that presented with severe parvo symptoms. Also, on the same day, the second dog from the February 23rd intake began exhibiting symptoms. Both were tested and confirmed positive for Parvo. Due to their declining health, the substantial costs proposed for recovery, as well as to protect our entire shelter dog population, the difficult decision was made to euthanize these 2 dogs.

4. At the time there were 75 dogs in our care. In an effort to mitigate the spread of the disease, the decision was made to temporarily suspend dog intakes, adoptions and restrict kennel access to all but a few animal care and medical staff, effective March 10th. The shelter posted publicly the decision to close temporarily and circumstances surrounding the decision. Additionally, an update to this public notice, including outcome of the 3 animals, was made on Friday, March 14th.

5. On March 11th Monoclonal antibodies (mAbs) were offered to us by a local veterinarian in exchange for a social media mention. mAbs are relatively new and work on a cellular level to prevent the virus from replicating in healthy cells, thereby reducing the severity of the infection and improving chances for survival. It is NOT a miracle cure nor an immediate single shot approach similar to a vaccination. At the recommendation of this veterinarian our staff veterinarian contacted the pharmaceutical company for clarification on how to safely administer this treatment. It was stated that mAbs are to be given in dogs that have been exposed to Parvo and prior to showing symptoms. It must be frozen and then thawed, given by injection, while the patient is given IV fluids and monitored for an extended period of time. A very difficult process for the shelter to undertake without risking exposure to our entire population.
–> Learn more about HSHC Parvo Treatment Cost
–> Learn more about the Drug Facts HERE

6. Given that there were no additional dogs in our care at the time that were candidates for treatment, information about mAbs and the offer for treatment were relayed to those who adopted a dog from the shelter between 3/1-3/10. Adopters wishing to pursue the treatment as a precaution were instructed to contact the local veterinarian.

7. Yet another dog was transferred into our care this past Saturday, March 29th from Animal Emergency Hospital. The multiple rapid “SNAP” tests we’ve done have all shown negative for parvo; however, this dog has remained in isolation since intake. Bloodwork has been sent out for a definitive diagnosis; meanwhile, the dog is stable and symptoms are mild.

Facts About HSHC Operations

1. HSHC has four licensed and qualified veterinarians that consult on these decisions. Our standards of practice/care are available on our website as well as on the MD Department of Agriculture’s website.

2. The Board of Directors oversees the shelter’s financial health and stability and plays a key role in planning new initiatives. Each director is an accomplished civic leader whose community service and business acumen are instrumental in ensuring that HSHC is positioned to meet the needs of a growing and changing community. Board roles are entirely volunteer and unpaid positions.

3. Our live release rate last year was 92% and for the first 3 months of this year, it’s above 90%.

4. County funding does not cover our entire budget. We rely heavily on charitable contributions from our supporters and adoption fees. For the last two years, County funding has remained flat while operating costs have risen by an average of 25%. Increased medical care expenses, higher costs for food, supplies, and utilities coupled with inflation will continue to negatively impact our organization. Harford County’s population continues to grow and will lead to an increase in stray, surrendered and abandoned animals requiring immediate care. We must continually work to find efficiencies while maintaining a high level of compassion and care that our community expects of us. We do not take public dollars for granted.

5. We’ve enhanced our service model to include a comprehensive animal behavior program. We now offer behavioral assessments, training and additional enrichment in an effort to ensure more animals are successfully placed while minimizing behavioral issues that lead to surrenders.

6. Annual impact reports and financial audits are always available on our website for public review. See 2024 data HERE.

What Does This Mean?

We still need YOUR help!

We are constantly innovating and introducing new programs that will strengthen our relationships, educate the public and advocate for humane treatment of animals everywhere.

In a recent national survey 91% of dog owners have expressed experiencing financial hardship. And according to the Humane Society of the United States, of the approximately 20 million pets in the US nearly 70% have never seen a veterinarian.

At HSHC we offer several affordable vaccine clinics throughout the year, a pet food pantry for owners in need and the highest quality care for our animals. We rely on hundreds of qualified volunteers, foster parents and a network of rescue partners, but we always need more! We are incredibly proud of the services we provide to Harford County and will continue to serve as a community resource.

Additional questions can be sent to Amanda Hickman, HSHC Executive Director. see Ms Hickmans emails to me here

Furgie's story here

Editors advice;

Please see former employees and volunteers statements here.

Please see my experience a parvovirus puppy here. The parvo puppies of Ukraine here.

See the videos that started the above here.

For more on this please see Shadow Cats TNR Facebook page, Baltimore Sun, and previous blogs that I have posted.

There are other concerns with the treatment of animals at the HCHS. There are numerous cats who have been euthanized after a local rescue stepped up to take them. This is their posted statement;

More from Shadow Cats here;

Below (in quotes) is a message from our Board regarding a concerning trend we are seeing from our local shelter.

SCTNR wants this partnership to work but we can only do that if everyone is on the same page. We are hoping by posting publicly that we will get some responses to our unanswered inquiries.

As a friendly reminder, PLEASE KEEP THIS CIVIL.

____________________________

"A growing number of concerns are being posted about the Humane Society of Harford County (HSHC). Our local rescue, Shadow Cats TNR (SCTNR), has partnered successfully with the Shelter for the past 4 years. We are now writing because we’ve observed a disturbing shift in the Shelter’s treatment of certain animals in their care.

By way of background, SCTNR rescue provides spay/neuter surgeries for more than 1800 cats per year. In comparison, the Shelter takes in an annual average of 1330 cats. With a decade of experience, SCTNR provides rescue to homeless cats that may be feral, friendly, healthy, or sick. Our Barn Cat Program places dozens of working cats every year, including many that are pulled directly from the Humane Society.

Our mission is to stop unwanted reproduction and the unnecessary killing of healthy and/or treatable animals. Rescues like ours help the Shelter increase their Live Release Rate, reduce staff workload, save money, and decrease the homeless animal population.

What prompted our concern is an incident that happened last month. The Humane Society put out a plea for partner transfer of a bonded pair of cats, Junior and BC. The pair had been living together at the Shelter since January. We responded and agreed to accept them--and fully understood that Junior was a special-needs cat who relied on his sighted buddy, BC. An SCTNR volunteer was ready and willing to foster them, and the Shelter agreed to transfer them into our care.

The following day, we received an email from the Shelter stating they had decided to euthanize Junior instead. The explanation provided was a “declining quality of life.” This sudden turn of events was confusing and frustrating, as it’s important for rescue partners to understand the Shelter’s decision-making and policies to effectively help.

We would like to improve overall communications between our organizations, particularly when it involves the transfer of animals into our care. Besides the sad case of Junior, we have not been given clear answers regarding working cats that we had also prepared to take but were later told were “no longer available.” The lack of clear and timely communication has made partnering unnecessarily difficult.

We invite the Shelter’s Board President, George Heidelmeier, and County representative, Lawrence Richardson, to please contact us to review Junior’s case, answer questions, and establish the parameters for an effective working relationship going forward."

All reactions:

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