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Blue Chip Farm Animal Refuge has temporarily closed its doors as the result of a virus affecting the refuge’s dog population.
In an update posted Friday to Blue Chip’s Facebook page, the Franklin Township-based shelter said that a virus had entered the shelter and was affecting its dogs. Adoptions from the shelter have been halted while the shelter is closed down.
“We are unsure of the exact virus, but we are aware that many other shelters across the country are experiencing this,” reads the update. “Humans can not contract the virus but you can bring the virus home to your animals if you interact with a symptomatic dog, which is why we have to have these rules in place at the moment.
“We apologize for this, but this is truly beyond our control.”
There was no indication offered as to when the shelter would be able to reopen to the public. In the meantime, Blue Chip offered a few pieces of advice for the shelter’s volunteers and customers:
• If anyone finds a stray, they are asked to hold on to the animal until they are able to locate a different shelter for assistance. Blue Chip is unable to accept strays or surrenders until further notice.
• Already-established Blue Chip volunteers are asked not to come to the shelter if they have a newly vaccinated or medially compromised dog at home. If they do come to the shelter, volunteers are asked to either bring a change of clothes to wear home, or to change as soon as they get home, prior to interacting with their dogs. Blue Chip is not accepting new volunteers at this time.
• Donation drop-offs at the shelter are not being accepted at this time; Blue Chip is still accepting donations toward their pets’ medical bills via mail, Venmo or PayPal, links to which could be found on the Blue Chip Facebook page.
“Thank you so much for being patient with us,” the update said. “We are working very hard to keep our animals as safe as possible during this time.”