Young-Williams Animal Center closes Division Street location due to disease outbreak

KNOXVILLE, Tenn. (WVLT) - Less than a week after closing the Young Williams Animal Village on Kingston Pike, the center has announced that its Division Street location will also be temporarily closed.

The closures come after an outbreak of distemper, a highly contagious disease that can cause serious health issues for dogs. Distemper attacks the respiratory, gastrointestinal, and nervous systems of dogs.

Previous Coverage: Young-Williams Kingston Pike location temporarily closed

“Young-Williams Animal Center is committed to resolving this situation quickly and safely. Our team is working tirelessly to provide the necessary care to exposed animals and to implement rigorous sanitation measures to help prevent the spread of the virus,” said the CEO of Young-Williams Animal Center, Janet Testerman.

Young Williams will immediately halt dog adoptions at the Division Street location. They are asking people not to bring stray dogs to the center but instead to call 865-407-2229 with the location and general description of the dog, including whether or not it is wearing a collar. Officers in the area will then try to get the dog home, Testerman said.

However, since cats stay in a separate facility from dogs, cat adoptions will continue at the Division Street location, Testerman said. The same is true for pet reclaiming and spay and neuter appointments.

Dog adoptions at the Kingston Pike location are expected to start up again on Wednesday.