Gaston County Animal Shelter failed recent state inspection

Critics of the oft maligned Gaston County Animal Shelter gained new ammunition against the facility after it failed a recent state inspection.

The unannounced, annual review by the N.C. Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services’ Veterinary Division took place Nov. 12. State inspector Shelley Swaim cited serious structural problems and issues with animal overcrowding that violated North Carolina’s Animal Welfare Act.

Swaim also identified animals that were unacceptably injured or unhealthy, and others that weren’t being provided food and water adequately.

To view the inspection, click here, or click the link at the top right of this page.

Some of the grievances were addressed immediately. The shelter has until Jan. 1 to fix most of the problems.

The state will make another unannounced visit to the shelter sometime after Jan. 1 for a follow-up inspection, said Dr. Lee Hunter, director of the state agriculture department’s Animal Welfare Section.

Gaston County Animal Control administrator Reggie Horton said he has taken the failed inspection seriously.

“We’re going to make every effort to comply with the state guidelines,” he said.

But the bulk of the issues stem from structural problems at the long outdated shelter, which bolsters the need to build a new facility, Horton said.

County commissioners determined last year that the shelter is beyond repair and has to be replaced. But the current economic climate has put those plans in jeopardy, as a new shelter could cost more than $5 million, said County Manager Jan Winters.

“Obviously we’ve known for a long time that the animal shelter has outlived its time and needs to be replaced,” said Winters, who learned of the failed inspection Tuesday.

Conditions draw criticism

The state began inspecting public and private animal shelters in 2006, visiting each a minimum of once a year. The Gaston shelter has had several reviews since then, and while it has never failed, inspectors have regularly criticized the condition of the animals and the facilities there.

Only once, at a private shelter in Hendersonville, did the state find conditions so egregious that the facility was forced to shut down immediately, Hunter said.

Gaston County’s shelter had 78 dogs and 49 cats within its 75 primary animal enclosures on Nov. 12. The state has a formula for determining how many animals can be kept in one “run” based on the size of both the enclosure and the animals.

The inspector last month found that some food and water receptacles were damaged, and that there was not one food receptacle provided for every adult dog - the minimum required by the state.

Horton said many of the local shelter’s enclosures are equipped with one food and water dispenser each. The hard plastic containers refill automatically, limiting the time that shelter workers have to spend paying attention to it, he said.

Horton said he didn’t realize those automatic food dispensers weren’t in compliance with state law. But those will now have to be removed, and individual food and water bowls will be provided for each dog.

“That’s certainly something we’ll come into compliance with,” he said.

The inspector found that several animals had health issues that were questionable. One dog had “multiple bite wounds” on its neck, and there was blood in the kennel, the inspection stated. Other animals had nasal discharges and were coughing.

The shelter has a responsibility to isolate and treat such dogs and cats, or if they can’t do that, to euthanize them, Swaim wrote in her inspection.

There is no veterinarian on staff at the Gaston shelter. Horton said medical treatment can’t be offered for most animals because they don’t stand a good chance of being adopted, and will likely end up being euthanized.

But a lack of space at the facility also makes it hard to quarantine some animals that show slight signs of illness, he said.

“Overcrowding really puts us in an awkward position,” he said.

Structural issues

The majority of the problems found at Gaston County’s shelter seem to stem from the facility’s age, Hunter said. Those are the issues that have surfaced most often in the last three years.

“Most of the violations here are typical of older public shelters,” he said. “Certainly, if Gaston County builds a new facility, these problems should go away.
”

The November inspection found that concrete floors throughout the facility and kennel are damaged and unsealed, and that they need to be sealed or painted.

Metal tracks on vertical kennel doors are rusted and have exposed sharp edges which could injure animals. And there were more than four dogs in several primary enclosures, Swaim wrote in her report.

Horton said the county will have to decide whether it wants to spend money to repair the shelter when it has already determined that wouldn’t make sense financially. Putting a sealant on the floor would only stave off the problem in the short-term, he said.

Winters said county commissioners have already authorized building a new animal shelter. But the economic downturn led them to recently put a hold on all capital projects until at least February, when the county’s financial situation will be reviewed.

The county has already retained an architect who has done some preliminary work on designing the new facility. But it is still trying to find a suitable site for it, and hopes to build the shelter on county-owned land so new property wouldn’t have to be purchased, Winters said.

“We’re trying to avoid spending any additional money,” he said. “I think we have a short list of sites we’re looking at.
”
A new shelter could be funded in the next budget cycle, which would allow construction to begin in late 2009 or 2010, Winter said. But that’s a best case scenario.

Gaston County Board of Commissioners Chairman Mickey Price said the new shelter will have to compete with other financial needs. The county must figure out how to pay for $175 million in school bonds and plan for an expansion of the local jail as well, he said.

“Those three things are probably going to be at the top of the pecking order,” he said. “And it’s all going to be tough because of the economy.
”

You can reach Michael Barrett at 704-869-1826.

Click here to read the state’s report.

Check back at gastongazette. com for updates on this story.
Source:

http://www.gastongazette.com/news/animals_27703___article. html/inspection_state. html

Tis the night before Christmas
and all through the town,
every shelter is full-
we are lost but not found.

They’ll come to adopt us
and give us a call,
“Here Max and Here Sparkie-
come get your new ball!!”

But now we sit here and think
of the good old days,
where we were treat so nicely
and we had cute, puppy ways.

Once we were little
then we grew and we grew,
Now, we’re no longer young…
no longer new.

So out the back door
we’re thrown out like trash
they reacted so quickly,
why are they so rash?

We “jumped on the children”,
“Don’t come when they call”,
we “bark when they leave us”,
and climb over the wall.

We should have been neutered
we should have been spayed,
no we suffer the consequence
of the error THEY made.

If only they’d train us,
if only we knew,
we’d done what they asked us and
worshiped them too.

We were left in the backyard,
or worse left to roam,
now we’re tired and lonely
and out of a home.

They dropped us off here
and they kissed us good bye,
“Maybe someone else
will give you a try”.

So now here we are
all confused… and alone,
in a shelter with others,
who all long for a home.

The kind workers come through,
with a meal and a pat,
but with som many to care for,
they can’t stay for a chat.

They move to the next kennel,
giving each of us some cheer…
we know they all wonder,
how long we’ll be here.

We drift off to sleep
and sweet dreams fill our heads,
of a home filled with love,
and our own cozy beds.

Then as we awake,
sometimes brimming with tears,
we see all our friends
filled with emptiness, worry and fear.

If you can’t adopt us
and there’s no room at the Inn,
Could you help witht he bills,
and help fill our food bin?

We count on your kindness,
each day of the year,
can you give more than hope,
to all of us here?

Please make a donation,
to help pay for the heat,
and help get us something special
this christmas to eat.

The shelter that cares for us
wants us all… to live,
and more of us will,
if more people give.

Written by David, the Dogman

Ah, the holidays! Such a glorious time of year, filled with happy anticipation and joyous reunions with family and friends you haven’t seen for a while.

Unfortunately, the holidays can spell disaster for our four-legged family members. Thousands of pets sustain injuries from holiday plants, decorations and foods at this time of the year.

Help Fido and Fluffy celebrate the season safely by protecting them from these holiday pet health hazards:

* Mistletoe, holly, poinsettias and Christmas lilies all make lovely holiday decorations but are all toxic to pets when ingested. Mistletoe causes gastrointestinal and cardiovascular problems. Holly and poinsettias can cause vomiting, nausea, diarrhea and lethargy.

* When using holiday plants to decorate your dining table, move them to a location where pets can’t reach between mealtimes. Hang mistletoe where pets can’t reach it; berries are highly poisonous, and highly attractive to cats. Don’t allow pets to remain in the room with your Christmas tree without supervision. Even eating a few pine needles can cause a puncture in pet intestines!

* Tape down or otherwise secure electrical cords for holiday lights to prevent chewing on them and unplug tree lights before leaving home.

* Secure your Christmas tree to the ceiling to keep it from falling on pets. Don’t let pets drink water from the tree holder. Even fresh water can contain fertilizer residue, and stagnant water is full of bacteria. If you use tree water preservative, be sure to buy one that’s labeled non-toxic in case pets decide to quaff while you’re not looking. And NEVER use aspirin as a preservative in tree water. Ingesting aspirin-laced water can cause serious illness and even death.

* Keep tinsel and other ornaments well out of pet range. Cats in particular like to play with tinsel, and some will eat it, which can block intestines. Pets can mistake ornaments for toy balls to pets, and shards from broken glass ornaments can cause injury to mouths and paws. Swallowed, they cause major injuries to stomach and intestinal tract.

* If your pet is nervous  to begin with, the elevate activity level in the home during the holidays. Try moving your pets bed to a quieter area of the house

* Once gifts have been opened, have children put their new toys away, especially those with small parts that can cause choking and intestinal blockage in dogs and frequently need to be removed surgically.

* Most pets love snoozing on a warm hearth. Always use fireplace screens, even when you think the fire is completely out. Keep candles out of pet reach and extinguish when leaving the room.

* To reduce stress, maintain pets’ routines. Walk your dog as you always do. Serve pets’ meals at regular times. Make sure fresh water is always available for them.

* Remember that holiday foods that are fine for people can make pets seriously ill. Macadamia nuts can cause muscular weakness, depression, vomiting, disorientation, tremors, abdominal pain and muscle stiffness in dogs. Chocolate can be fatal; ingesting as little as 1/4 ounce can cause vomiting, diarrhea, seizures, hyperactivity and increase thirst, urination and heart rate.

* Call your veterinarian immediately if you think your pet may have ingested something toxic. If unable to reach your vet call the ASPCA Animal Poison Control Center’s 24-hour emergency hotline at 1-888-4-ANI-HELP.

Source:

http://www.newstimes.com/danbury/ci_11103247

Watch out! You nearly broad sided that car!” My father yelled at me.

“Can’t you do anything right?”

Those words hurt worse than blows. I turned my head toward the elderly man in the seat beside me, daring me to challenge him. A lump rose in my throat as I averted my eyes. I wasn’t prepared for another battle.

The morning of Dad’s funeral dawned overcast and dreary. This day looks like the way I feel, I thought, as I walked down the aisle to the pews reserved for family. I was surprised to see the many friends Dad and Cheyenne had made filling the church. The pastor began his eulogy. It was a tribute to both Dad and the dog who had changed his life. And then the pastor turned to Hebrews 13:2. “Be not forgetful to entertain strangers.”

MI Man Hangs and Beats Dog, but no felony charges filed!

Chance is on the mend at Wishbone Pet Rescue in Saugatuck.

DORR TOWNSHIP — After being strung up by his neck from a branch and beaten with a stick last week in a wooded area, Chance the dog is doing all right today.

But animal lovers are outraged — not just at the 22-year-old man accused in an incident police called “heinous,” but at Allegan County prosecutors for issuing a misdemeanor animal cruelty charge in the case instead of a four-year felony.

“I think it’s disgusting they are going to slap his hand and let him go,” said Lanie Mossey, president of Wishbone Pet Rescue in Saugatuck, the agency that took in the black Labrador retriever after Allegan County sheriff’s deputies confiscated the dog.

Prosecutor Fred Anderson has no plans to let the alleged abuser, Jason Allen Williams of Grandville, off without penalty.

But the case is not as clear-cut as critics suggest, particularly with Williams’ claim he was trying to euthanize the dog over a belief it had liver disease, Anderson said. He planned to hit the dog in the head.

Williams told police he was broke and did not have money for properly disposing of the dog, an animal he adopted from another person. He thought the dog was sick because it constantly was going to the bathroom in his roommate’s home.
“He did not make a good decision,” Anderson said. “He didn’t know what to do with (the dog).” Police responded Nov. 17 to near the Dorr Township home where Williams was staying with a friend after a neighbor reported hearing the dog whimpering, went to investigate and witnessed the dog hanging and a man hitting the animal. The man fled, but later was identified as Williams.

A warrant has been issued against him for animal cruelty or abandonment, carrying a possible 93-day jail sentence, and Williams was ordered to turn himself into court by Thanksgiving or deputies may come looking for him.

A message left for Williams at his parents’ home in Grandville was not returned.Since organizers at Wishbone began talking about Chance’s case last week, Anderson has been under heavy criticism. By Tuesday, he had received about eight e-mails and 10 phone calls questioning his decision — far more feedback than he has received on some murder cases.

Anderson stands by the call, and said proving a “willful, malicious” intent for the felony might be difficult.

The misdemeanor charge still allows a judge to issue up to $1,000 in fines, 200 hours of community service, reimbursement for veterinarian care, possible psychological evaluation and to order an abuser not to own animals. And because the suspect has no record, sentencing guidelines for a felony animal abuse charge would only permit a three-month jail sentence, he said.

Still, Mossey thinks prison would be appropriate. Wishbone has received hundreds of e-mails and calls about Chance, some looking to adopt the 3-year-old dog.”I am absolute passionate that something happen. This is just not acceptable behavior,” she said.

Chance, now in foster care, is on pain medication and steroids for his injuries. According to the Web site for Wishbone, he remains disoriented, possibly a sign of brain damage from the hanging, although his long-term prognosis is not known. The vet mentioned no sign of liver disease, Mossey said. “He is an amazing dog,” she said.

“You would think he would want to bite everyone, but he is very sweet.”

Allegan County sheriff’s Lt. Mike Larsen described the abuse as “heinous” and said police do not know how long the dog had been hanging from the branch.”It’s unexcusable, even if his excuses are valid to him,” he said of the suspect.

CONTACT INFORMATION FOR BOTH CRIMINALS BELOW!

Dog Torturer: Jason Allen Williams

PROSECUTING ATTORNEY’S OFFICEFrederick Anderson, Allegan County Prosecuting Attorney
Allegan County Building
113 Chestnut Street
Allegan, MI 49010 Phone: (269) 673-0280

Pilots are donating their time, planes and fuel to transport dozens of dogs a month from overcrowded shelters where they face almost certain death to rescue groups and shelters several states away that are committed to finding them homes.

The mission-of-mercy relocations are flown by general aviation pilots who have signed on with the recently formed Pilots N Paws, a Web-based message board where pilots can access information about animals in need.

Once the electronic connection is made, dogs plucked by rescuers from death row — mostly in the South where sterilization rates are low and pet overpopulation is rampant — are loaded onto small planes and flown one, two or six at a time to rescue groups and shelters that have available space.

“These are wonderful dogs that simply had the bad luck of winding up in a place where there are too many pets in shelters,” says Pilots N Paws co-founder Jon Wehrenberg of Knoxville, Tenn. The retired manufacturing executive and weekend pilot has flown scores of dogs from high-kill shelters this year. Earlier this month, his mission involved six small mixed-breed dogs from Knoxville’s Young-Williams Animal Center.

The happy half-dozen enjoyed a smooth-sailing, 90-minute flight to Greensboro, N.C., where they were met by radio station executive Jennifer Hart, head of Animal Rescue & Foster Program, who had arranged foster care. One dog has been adopted; the others are receiving additional attention, socialization and training and should be ready for new homes soon after Thanksgiving.

Beginning of the journey

“Pilots N Paws has given about 20 of our animals a second chance,” says Tim Adams, executive director of the Young-Williams shelter, which euthanizes 70% of the animals that land there. “We take in 17,000 animals a year, and Knoxville simply isn’t big enough… to get new homes for them here. Twenty animals saved may not sound like much, but every one of them matters.”

Pilots N Paws started operating in February soon after Wehrenberg offered to fly a Doberman in Florida to his pal Debi Boies of Landrum, S.C., who is a retired nurse, horse breeder and long-time rescuer. He began asking questions about the rescue world and learned about the passionate underground railroad of animal lovers who orchestrate days-long road journeys to save some of the 4 million to 6 million animals destined for euthanasia in U.S. shelters annually.

“I’d had no idea of the number of animals being euthanized, and the ordeal people and animals were going through in transports,” Wehrenberg says. “Pilots love to fly. I believed that if we created a means for them to discover situations where they could fly and also save animals, many would do it.”

He and Boies joined forces to spread the word, and within months, 85 pilots had signed on. Nearly 200 dogs have now been flown from several shelters and rescue groups to welcoming arms hundreds of miles away.

“For most of these dogs, the next walk they would have taken would have been to death’s door,” says administrative assistant Dawn Thompson of Falconer, N.Y., who for 18 years has taken in, nursed, socialized and re-homed more than 100 dogs a year from various high-kill areas. In recent months 30 have arrived via Pilots N Paws, and she’s learned the ones that arrive by plane rather than ground transport “don’t have the stress that two days on the road creates, and that makes them almost instantly adoptable.”

‘Doggy kisses’ are worth gas

Each flight costs the pilot hundreds of dollars in fuel alone, not including routine maintenance and other operating expenses. Boies and Wehrenberg are working to gain non-profit status for the group so pilots could declare the fuel costs a charitable contribution. But the pilots aren’t exactly agitating for that.

“Doggy kisses are worth the $6 a gallon,” says Westminster, Md., businesswoman and small-plane pilot Michele McGuire. She was recently part of a two-leg rely that flew a 110-pound skin-and-bones Great Dane from Arab, Ala., where a rescue group saved it from euthanasia, to a new family in Baldwin, Mass.

“I don’t know what (the animals’) opinion of flying is, but it sure makes their trip a lot shorter,” says Nick O’Connell, a Williamsburg, Va., contractor who did his first such flight earlier this month. The two-leg hand-off involved two pilots, several hundred miles and two chow-mix puppies rescued from a dump near Atlanta and delivered to their new family in Chesterfield, Va.

The animals are almost always remarkably calm about the adventure, O’Connell and other pilots report.

“It’s almost as if they understand that this is their chance for life,” Boies says.

Sometimes pilots scroll through the “Transport needed” section of Pilots N Paws and find a plea to fly an animal to a town or city they already were planning to visit.

Most times, however, they study the requests, see a need that touches them and offer their services.

Broomfield, Colo., software engineer/pilot Mike Boyd was involved in a multi-state, multi-person transport of a German shepherd in October, and he’s aiming to do more missions. “To take my hobby and apply it to help this situation, well, it’s just a great feeling,” he says.

Adds O’Connell: “It is rewarding beyond my wildest imagination.”

SOURCE:

http://www.usatoday.com/news/nation/2008-11-25-pilots-dog-rescue_N.htm?POE=click-refer

Animals are turned in to the animal shelter for many different reasons. Being forthcoming about the reason to the staff at the shelter can have a big impact on the animal, and the others being housed there.

Last week, Debbie Dobbs, Washington County/Johnson City Animal Shelter director, was forced to euthanize 14 puppies and three adult dogs because a pet’s former owner neglected to tell the staff the dog was showing signs of illness.

“We have a sign that says ‘honesty is the best policy,’ ’’ Dobbs said. “The reason for the dog being brought to the shelter will in no way affect that animal’s chances of being adopted, but if the person is not honest about any health problems or behavioral problems the pet may have, they are putting the entire shelter and staff at risk.”

Last week, a 6-month-old Yorkshire-terrier mix was brought to the shelter. Because the dog growled at a handler, Dobbs decided to place the dog in isolation thinking he would eventually calm down. The next day, the dog began to be very sick and Dobbs took the animal to a veterinarian. The animal was diagnosed with parvovirus and was too far gone for anyone to save it.

“Parvo is an incredibly infectious viral disease that is exclusive to dogs,” Dobbs said. “It is transmitted through contact with an infected animal’s feces. Puppies are more susceptible than adults, but all have a much better chance if they are vaccinated against it.

“This person condemned a whole nursery. Had we known that the dog was ill, we may have been able to save the other dogs.”

The worst part is that the other dogs that were being held in the vicinity of the Yorkie had to be put down due to possible infection with the virus, Dobbs said.

“We were running the heaters so there is a big possibility these dogs in the isolation area were already infected,” Dobbs said. “Had I waited the 10 to 14 hours it takes the virus to incubate, I would have been placing the rest of the animals in danger and facing the chance of it spreading to the whole shelter.”

The virus can be carried on clothing, shoes, blankets, doorknobs and through the air. Dobbs and the shelter staff cleaned the shelter with bleach to prevent the virus from spreading.

“Bleach is the only thing that will kill it,” Dobbs said. “Parvo is extremely serious.”

Since the virus is hardy and can withstand extreme temperatures and conditions, the staff placed mats soaked in bleach at every entrance. This way, anyone who may have been contaminated will kill the virus by wiping their feet on the mats.

The staff has not only had to work harder to protect the other animals awaiting good homes, but also suffered emotional pain. The staff is attached to the animals that come through the door, Dobbs said, and do all that they can to ensure the dog finds a loving home.

“I helped the shepherd mix through delivery only a few days before all this happened,” Dobbs said. “She had eight beautiful puppies and it felt like such a waste when we had to euthanize them. We all were so upset – and angry. This person could have told us the dog was sick and we would have done everything we could to make it better, but there is only so much we can do.”

To protect a dog from parvo, a simple vaccination is required. It is normally administered to puppies in the first series of recommended shots at the veterinarian. Bloody stool and diarrhea are signs of parvo infection. If a dog shows signs of parvo infection, immediately take it to a veterinarian for an examination.

Source

http://www.johnsoncitypress.com/Detail.php?Cat=LOCALNEWS&ID=65929

WHAT IS COCCIDIA?

Coccidia are single celled organisms that infect the intestine. They are microscopic parasites detectable on routine fecal tests in the same way that worms are, but coccidia are not worms and are not susceptible to deworming medications. They are also not visible to the naked eye. Coccidia infection causes a watery diarrhea that is sometimes bloody and can be a life-threatening problem to an especially young or small animal.

HOW DO PETS BECOME INFECTED ?

Coccidia is passed in stool. In the outside world, the oocysts begin to mature or sporulate. After they have adequately matured, they become infective to any host (dog or cat) that accidentally swallows them.

To be more precise, coccidia come from ground contaminated with fecal material. They are swallowed when a pet grooms/licks the dirt off itself. In some cases, sporulated oocysts are swallowed by mice and the host is infected when it eats the mouse. Coccidia infection is especially common in young animals housed in groups (in shelters, rescue areas, kennels, etc.) This is a common parasite and is not necessarily a sign of poor husbandry.

WHAT IS HAPPENING INSIDE OF MY PET? ?

The sporulated oocyst breaks open and releases eight sporozoites. These sporozoites each finds an intestinal cell and begins to reproduce inside it. Ultimately, the cell is so full of what are at this stage called merozoites that it bursts, releasing the merozoites that seek out their own intestinal cells and the process begins again. It is important to note how thousands of intestinal cells can become infected and destroyed as a result of accidentally swallowing a single oocyst.

As the intestinal cells are destroyed in larger and larger numbers, intestinal function is disrupted and a bloody, watery diarrhea results. The fluid loss can be dangerously dehydrating to a young or small pet.

HOW ARE COCCIDIA DETECTED?

A routine fecal test is a good idea for any new puppy or kitten whether there are signs of diarrhea or not as youngsters are commonly parasitized. This  test is also a good idea for any patient with diarrhea and is recommended at least once a year for healthy dogs and cats as a screening test.  Coccidia are microscopic and a test such as this is necessary to rule them in. It should be noted that small numbers of coccidia can be hard to detect so just because a fecal sample tests negative, this does not mean that the pet is not infected. Sometimes several fecal tests are performed, especially in a young pet with a refractory diarrhea; parasites may not be evident until later in the course of the condition.

HOW IS COCCIDIA TREATED?

The most common medicines used against coccidia are called coccidiostats. They inhibit coccidial reproduction. Once the numbers stop expanding, it is easier for the patient’s immune system to catch up and wipe the infection out. This also means, though, that the time it takes to clear the infection depends on how many coccidia organisms there are to start with and how strong the patient’s immune system is. A typical treatment course lasts about a week or two, but it is important to realize that the medication should be given until the diarrhea resolves plus an extra couple of days. Medication should be given for at least 5 days total. Sometimes courses as long as a month are needed. In dogs and cats, sulfa-based antibiotics are the most commonly used coccidiostats.

The use of sulfa drugs in pregnancy can cause birth defects. Sulfa drug use can also lead to false positive test results for urine glucose.

There is another medication that is worth mentioning and that is Ponazuril, a large animal product. This medication is actually able to curtail a coccidial infection in five doses or less and has been used in thousands of shelter puppies and kittens with no adverse effects. This product would seem to be superior to the usual sulfa drugs, but the problem that keeps it from becoming a mainstream treatment is the fact that it is available only as a paste for horses and must be diluted down to create an appropriate small animal formula. The large volumes of product yielded are not cost effective if only occasional patients are treated for this parasite. Ponazuril is thus most commonly used in kennels, catteries, and animal shelters though one may be pleasantly surprised to find it in stock at one’s regular veterinary office.

CAN PEOPLE OR OTHER PETS BECOME INFECTED?

While there are species of coccidia that can infect people (Toxoplasma and Cryptosporidium, for example), the Isospora species of dogs and cats are not infective to people. Other pets may become infected from exposure to infected fecal matter but it is important to note that this is usually an infection of the young (i.e. the immature immune system tends to let the coccidia infection reach large numbers whereas the mature immune system probably will not.) In most cases, the infected new puppy or kitten does not infect the resident adult animal.