Woman's newly adopted pets diagnosed with diseases

WILMER, Ala. (WALA) - A Wilmer family has learned a costly lesson about animal adoption. 

Katie Minga said the two dogs she adopted from the Mobile County Animal Shelter (MCAS) in late October are sick, and she's not sure whether one will survive.

Minga recently lost two dogs.

One died of cancer, and her boxer mix was hit by a car. Minga found two new pets at the Mobile County Animal Shelter, and she decided to adopt.

"I thought instead of paying a lot of money for a dog, I would adopt a pet and have something that I can love and show love that was abused or abandoned," Minga said.

Minga brought Buster and Betsy home on from MCAS Wednesday. It wasn't long before she realized something was wrong with her newest additions to the family.

"The puppy started acting sick Thursday night, so I took her to the vet Friday morning. She was diagnosed with Parvo virus, which is a very lethal virus that attacks the blood cells," she said.

Minga said treatment for Parvo is expensive and there's no guarantee her dog will survive. While she was at the vet with one dog she decided to get the other one checked.

The vet told her he has heart worms.

"I thought they would be very healthy," she said.

She said if she adopts in the future it will be from a shelter that has a veterinarian on staff.

Minga is also concerned other recently adopted dogs at the shelter may also be infected with the virus, which is spread through contact with dogs’ feces.

The paperwork Minga received from the Animal Shelter shows both dogs were vaccinated for the Parvo virus. It also states the shelter can't guarantee the future health of any animal.

In the meantime, she plans to do what she can to nurse her new pets back to health.