BRUNSWICK

It will be up to the state as to when the quarantine on Coastal Humane Society’s shelter in Brunswick is lifted. Meanwhile, the Interim Executive Director Mary Fifield said it is too early to say what financial impact of the quarantine will be to the shelter.

“We’re operating out of an abundance of caution,” said Fifield on Tuesday. “That is a more expensive way to deal with what is a very limited and very isolated incidence of ringworm.”

Coastal Humane announced Aug. 8 that it would close at the recommendation of the Maine Animal Welfare Program as a precaution, after a few animals tested positive for the infection.

State officials toured the shelter and spoke with Coastal Humane staff on Tuesday.

Five puppies transferred from a shelter in Alabama showed ringworm symptoms, prompting the closure of Coastal Humane’s shelter on Range Road.

Coastal Humane said the puppies, which arrived in Brunswick July 18, were infected with ringworm while in Alabama. The ringworm was detected about a week into the puppies’ standard quarantine, according to Mandie Wehr, veterinarian and director of shelter operations.

The puppies are isolated in a separate building from the rest of the shelter’s inhabitants, said Wehr.

“It’s very treatable,” said Wehr.

Unlike heartworm, ringworm is not caused by a parasite. Rather, ringworm is a fungal infection in the same family as athlete’s foot. The infection can cause a reddened, circular patch on the skin, hence the name.

“For some people and some animals it’s itchy, for others it’s not,” said Wehr.

While not fatal, ringworm is especially contagious in a shelter setting, said Wehr, because the animals live in close quarters.

Horses, cattle, guinea pigs and other animals are susceptible to ringworm, and so are people.

“It’s really a usual topical infection to find, because it lives in our environment,” said Wehr. “Local animals can bring in ringworm just as easily as animals from Alabama.”

According to Coastal Humane, Maine is one of the few states that recommends closure in the case of ringworm, while other states require that ringworm positive animals remain isolated from other populations in the facility.

“While the risk to our general population is very, very small because we identified and isolated the (infected) animals early, we’re still taking the quarantine very seriously shelter-wide,” said Wehr.

No other animals at the shelter have shown signs of ringworm.

Those who have adopted an animal from Coastal Humane since July 18 have been notified that there was a ringworm infection at the shelter.

The shelter had “a significant ringworm situation” back in 2007, but Fifield said that, thanks to protocols introduced by Wehr since she joined Coastal Humane, the shelter is now in a better position to deal with the infection.

Coastal Humane is investigating placing strays from animal control officers in the communities with which the shelter contracts at an off-site former kennel.

Others in the community, however, cannot surrender their pets until further notice.

Other shelters have indicated a willingness to help out, including Greater Androscoggin Humane Society, Animal Refuge League in Westbrook, and the Lincoln County Animal Shelter.

The shelter was competing in the ASPCA’s $100,000 Challenge, a nationwide competition to save the lives of more shelter animals. Coastal Humane had been attempting to find homes for 822 animals this summer as part of the challenge.

“We were first in our division at the end of June, and we were sixth in the nation at the end of June. The July numbers have not been released yet,” said Wehr. “At this point in time, no set decision has been made regarding the challenge.”

More information may be available next week, said Fifield.

“Everyone has worked hours that can’t even be calculated,” Fifield said. “Everybody has pulled together and turned in a really great performance. As of Friday, when we agreed to the quarantine, we were at 616 animals adopted out this summer, as compared with 411 animals last summer. It was a very successful event. … It’s just been a great community building exercise. Even though we may have to wrap it up early, I would say that the challenge has been a smashing success.”

The shelter is seeking support to cover expenses for testing the animals in the shelter and replacing any pet items that need replacement, such as bedding. To contribute to Coastal Humane’s efforts in this arena, call (207) 449-1366, ext. 4 or donate online at coastalhumanesociety.org.