WEST OLIVE, Mich. (WOOD) — Adoptions are on hold at Harbor Humane Society after several dogs tested positive for parvovirus over the weekend.

Executive Director Jen Self-Aulgur told News 8 that seven dogs started showing symptoms on Friday night. In all four puppies, one six-month-old dog and two adult dogs have tested positive.

The sick dogs and those who may have been exposed are quarantined away from the rest of the animals. Harbor Humane has split its team into two to dedicate a set team of staff solely to the parvo-positive or potentially exposed dogs to prevent any cross-contamination.

Parvo is a highly contagious virus that attacks a dog’s gastrointestinal tract. There is no current medicine that can kill the virus, so staffers have to treat the symptoms and help the dogs along as their bodies kill the virus on their own.

“Things like fluids, anti-nausea meds. You really have to keep them hydrated, keep them sustaining nutrients and things like that, just giving their body the tools that they need to fight it,” Self-Aulgur told News 8.

The parvo outbreak came at a poor time for Harbor Humane. After housing and caring for 20 dogs seized from Cober’s Canine Rescue earlier this year, Self-Aulgur said the shelter’s emergency fund is virtually tapped out. She estimates the shelter paid at least $20,000 to care for Cober dogs, including six that eventually died from distemper infections.

“The diagnostic testing (for parvo) and things like that to do the specific tests that you need are around $5, $10 a piece. And if you’re testing multiple dogs, that quickly adds up,” Self-Aulgur said.

Harbor Humane supporters have already answered the bell after the shelter made a Facebook post asking for donations. As of Monday morning, the shelter had already received more than $4,000 in donations. Self-Aulgur said financial donations are always welcome, but they are also in need of towels, blankets and bed sheets.

“Towels, blankets, things like that we definitely need because with our parvo-suspects and our parvo-positives, we throw away everything afterwards just to limit contamination. It makes us go through laundry real quick,” she said.

All seven dogs are doing much better. The Harbor Humane team is spending Monday giving the facility a full spring cleaning, going through every nook and cranny to make sure the outbreak stops here. Self-Aulgur expects to reopen Tuesday, just in time for the start of the latest Bissell “Empty the Shelters” event.