Front Street Animal Shelter halts stray dog intake due to 'Strep zoo' outbreak

The shelter is taking precautionary measures to contain the spread of the deadly bacterial infection.

Jan. 30, 2026 at 12:55pm

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Front Street Animal Shelter in Sacramento has temporarily stopped accepting stray dogs after two dogs tested positive for Streptococcus zooepidemicus (Strep zoo), a highly contagious bacteria that can cause severe respiratory illness and high mortality rates in dogs. The shelter is working with experts to eradicate the outbreak and is encouraging the public to hold onto any stray dogs they find rather than bringing them to the shelter.

Why it matters

Strep zoo outbreaks can have devastating effects on shelter dog populations, as the bacteria spreads rapidly in crowded, stressful environments. By closing intake, Front Street is taking proactive steps to protect the health of its current canine residents and prevent the disease from spreading further in the community.

The details

Two dogs at Front Street Animal Shelter have tested positive for Strep zoo, a bacterium that can cause severe respiratory illness in dogs. Shelter staff collaborated with experts from UC Davis to determine that closing stray dog intake for 7-14 days is necessary to create a 'clean break' and allow the disease to be eradicated without new animals being introduced. All dogs at the shelter are receiving preventative antibiotics, and adoptions will remain open to help reduce the population density and curb the spread of the disease.

  • On January 30, 2026, Front Street Animal Shelter announced it would temporarily halt stray dog intake due to the Strep zoo outbreak.

The players

Front Street Animal Shelter

A municipal animal shelter in Sacramento, California that is currently dealing with a Strep zoo outbreak among its canine residents.

Phillip Zimmerman

The manager at Front Street Animal Shelter.

Dr. Victoria Smalley

A veterinarian at Front Street Animal Shelter.

UC Davis Koret Shelter Medicine Program

An organization that has studied the Strep zoo disease extensively and provided guidance to Front Street Animal Shelter on how to handle the outbreak.

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What they’re saying

“Our shelter veterinarians collaborated with staff from the UC Davis Koret Shelter Medicine Program, which has studied the disease extensively and provided counseling to other shelters. The mutual conclusion was that healthy dog intake should be closed for at least 7-14 days, not only to protect the incoming dogs from being placed at risk, but also to create a 'clean break' so the disease can be eradicated without new animals being introduced.”

— Phillip Zimmerman, Manager, Front Street Animal Shelter

“Dogs are not the preferred host for Strep zoo, but in crowded shelter environments where many dogs are immunocompromised due to stress, the disease can have devastating effects.”

— Dr. Victoria Smalley, Veterinarian, Front Street Animal Shelter

What’s next

The shelter is working on other solutions, including leveraging its network of foster volunteers, to assist in cases where finders can't hold onto pets. To assist as a foster, the public is encouraged to visit the Front Street Foster Program page online.

The takeaway

This outbreak highlights the importance of proactive disease prevention measures in animal shelters, where crowded conditions and stressed animals can allow highly contagious illnesses to spread rapidly. By taking swift action to contain the Strep zoo outbreak, Front Street Animal Shelter is working to protect the health of its canine residents and the broader community.