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Chicago Anti-Cruelty Society Halts Adoptions Amid Dog Flu Concerns

CHICAGO (CBS) -- The dog flu is back in Chicago, and that has led the Anti-Cruelty Society on North LaSalle to put a stop to adoptions.

On the Society's website, it says, "Due to a recent outbreak of canine influenza, we have temporarily closed for adoptions at our 510 N. LaSalle St. location and our Everyday Adoption Center (1101 S. Canal St.) location. Please continue to check back for updates."

Collette Bradley is the PR manager at the Anti-Cruelty Society, she tells WBBM they noticed the flu a few days ago and now 100 dogs are being treated.

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"One of our dogs started showing symptoms last week and unfortunately he had been in just about every room in the shelter and exposed all of our population to that illness."

Bradley says it was this time just last year when the dog flu hit Chicago.

"It has now come back around in the spring time when people start walking their dogs in the parks more and just interacting more in general with the nice weather, the disease spreads really easily."

The Anti-Cruelty Society is in touch with other adoption agencies. About one thousand dogs in the Midwest got the dog flu last year and there were some deaths.

The Society recommends getting your dog vaccinated and if your dog does show signs of the flu, such as lethargy and lack of appetite and a distinctive cough, call the vet before taking the dog to the vet because taking the dog in might just expose other animals to the flu.

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