'Paws In Need Tulsa' Seeking Donations After Dealing With Parvovirus Outbreak

The nonprofit 'Paws in Need Tulsa' is asking for help after dealing with a parvovirus outbreak.

Since the group is a smaller animal rescue organization, leaders say dealing with an outbreak like this is costly.

Paws in Need Tulsa' tends to about 100 animals a month and isn't a typical rescue organization. The group transports strays or unwanted animals in Oklahoma out of state to areas where pet overpopulation isn't a big issue.

Paws in Need Tulsa President Andrea Kyle says they discovered several of its puppies were infected after they weren't eating, drinking and had low energy. The group says it hospitalized three of them, but one didn't make it.

According to Kyle, there are always concerns for outbreaks because parvovirus is highly contagious.

The bill for treating the animals from parvovirus is nearly $2,000, according to the organization, which says it needs to raise at least half the funds to help in its continuous efforts.

"It's a very expensive medical bill and we are not a medical organization. We are not set up for medical cases. We run on a shoestring budget so when we have a large medical bill like that it really prevents us from being able to do the work we need to do," said Kyle.

Kyle says the nonprofit can only operate only because of contributions from the public.