Ringworm outbreak closes animal shelter

Brookhaven's town animal shelter remained closed Thursday due to an outbreak of ringworm that prompted a dozen employees to evacuate the Horseblock Road facility.

The discovery of ringworm, a skin infection caused by fungus, on four dogs late last week closed the shelter July 29, town officials said. The dozen workers left Monday morning, while four employees stayed behind, town officials said.

The shelter was closed for "precautionary reasons," and workers are treating the shelter's animals for the fungus, town spokesman Jack Krieger said. The shelter is still accepting new strays and is housing them in an isolated area at the shelter, he said.

Krieger added that the Brookhaven shelter is not unique in experiencing an outbreak of ringworm, as "it is occurring now in many public and private shelters across the country." Ringworm is common and treatable, he said.

"The town is proceeding with an abundance of caution by keeping the animal shelter closed to the public until it is determined by veterinary medical professionals that it is safe to reopen," Krieger said in a statement. "Adoptions and resident drop-offs of animals have been suspended until further notice."

The employees who left Monday returned to work Tuesday morning, Krieger said. When asked whether the workers could face disciplinary action for leaving work, Krieger produced a town statement saying, "Any outstanding issues between labor and management will be addressed."

Bill Walsh, president of the blue-collar unit of the town's Civil Service Employees Association, declined to comment on the walkout beyond saying that the shelter employees are represented by the union.

The shelter houses about 300 animals and employs 45 full- and part-time workers.

The town has provided the shelter's workers with protective gear so they do not get infected with ringworm, Krieger said.

Volunteers stepped up to help at the shelter after ringworm was discovered, town officials said in a statement. One of the volunteers, Robert Misseri of Smithtown-based Guardians of Rescue, said it's important that residents know ringworm is "extremely treatable" and the Brookhaven shelter remains a viable option for people adopting animals."The goal is to clean the shelter," he said. "As of right now, in my opinion, it's under control."