Tulsa Animal Welfare reopens and offers free dog adoptions

TULSA, Okla. — The City of Tulsa Animal Welfare (TAW) is reopening its doors and resuming pet adoptions Thursday after closing for nearly two months due to an outbreak of canine distemper virus.

TAW will open at noon on Thursday and will offer free adoptions for dogs through Sunday, Jan. 9.

All adoption fees will be waived for available dogs, which includes microchipping, spaying and neutering, and vaccinations.

Adoptions are by appointment only and normal costs of adoptions will resume next week.

TAW closed Nov. 10, 2021, after several dogs in the shelter were found to be infected with the distemper virus.

Canine distemper virus is a serious and sometimes fatal viral illness that affects dogs and members of the canine family, and also ferrets. The illness can affect a dog at any age, but young, unvaccinated dogs and puppies are most at risk. The virus is spread through inhalation.

The best way to protect dogs from distemper is through vaccination.

During its closure, TAW put in place protocols to prevent the infection from spreading, including isolating infected animals, monitoring healthy but exposed animals for symptoms and deep cleaning to reduce contamination.

TAW received help from 16 organizations to resolve the outbreak, including Best Friends Animal Society, the Humane Society of Tulsa, the Tulsa SPCA and community support.

“Everyone at Tulsa Animal Welfare is incredibly grateful to these organizations for helping us when we needed it the most. The lifesaving we are able to accomplish wouldn’t be happening without their generous assistance,” Marshelle Freeman, Interim TAW Manager said. “This is a positive example of how by working together, we can give every homeless pet in our community a second chance at a new life.”

TAW is open seven days a week from noon to 6 p.m. You can make an appointment by calling 918-596-7387.