31-07-2025
Zoo strep outbreak pauses intakes at Stanislaus Animal Services as vet shortage, clinic gaps persist
A contagious respiratory illness known as zoo strep has forced Stanislaus Animal Services to halt all stray animal intakes, as shelter staff work to deep-clean the facility and separate exposed dogs.
"We're having to empty out sections at a time," said SASA Director Lily Yap. "Those areas are essentially on hold while we perform the deep clean."
There's no timeline for when intakes will resume. But the outbreak is just one part of a larger challenge.
In 2024, the Joint Powers Authority Board, made up of six government partners, including Stanislaus County and five cities, approved more than $500,000 for a new low-cost spay and neuter site, known as the Love Clinic. The idea was to make the clinic self-sustaining.
Instead, it's barely running.
"The original expectation was that it would fund itself," Yap said. "But the biggest challenge is being able to fill that veterinarian position."
Without a vet, the clinic offers only a handful of appointments each week. This isn't the first time public veterinary services have hit a wall.
In 2023, a Stanislaus County Civil Grand Jury report revealed that SASA's request for a mobile clinic was denied by the JPA board, which later reclaimed nearly $400,000 in unused funds.
"Our partners have the option to take those funds back," Yap said, "or put it toward the next year's budget."
With rising stray numbers, a shelter-wide disease outbreak, and no full-time vet in sight, Yap says the agency is relying on fosters, volunteers, and a September budget reassessment to try to fill the gap.
