The Walker County animal shelter reopened to the public Wednesday following a two-week quarantine for parvovirus.

On Jan. 22 eight dead dogs at the shelter were found to have the highly contagious virus, prompting the quarantine. The majority of those dogs were puppies that had been exposed prior to being surrendered to the shelter.

The shelter has repeatedly been sanitized during the two-weeks and a state inspector was satisfied with the measures taken during that period, shelter manager Alison Smith said.

The areas where the parvo-infected dogs were found were kept empty during that time and daily sterilized, she said.

“It (parvovirus) is typically never caused by the shelter itself, anymore than children getting mumps, measles or the flu is caused by a school,” Smith said. “You can’t have high concentrations of any species that there is not going to be some sort of transmission of bacteria or viruses.”

Smith emphasizes that responsible pet owners should have their pets vaccinated annually.

As the quarantine began, nearly two dozen animals were kept in the back half of the shelter, none of which became sick with the virus, Smith said.

Surrendering an adoptable pet was discouraged during the two weeks, she said.

The shelter, at 5488 Marble Top Road in Chickamauga, is open 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Mondays through Fridays and 8 a.m. to 1 p.m. on Saturdays.