EAST PROVIDENCE, R.I. (WPRI) — The Rhode Island Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (RISPCA) is urging anyone who’s bought a puppy through an advertisement on Craigslist to seek medical treatment for the pet due to potential canine parvovirus exposure.
The RISPCA said it recently received a call about a dog purchased from Craigslist that had been diagnosed with the virus.
The agency’s law enforcement division was able to located the seller and seized two additional puppies which were also found to have contracted parvovirus.
Since the initial complaint, the RISPCA said it’s found several other puppies bought through the same advertisement that all received the same diagnosis.
Canine parvovirus is highly contagious and can easily spread from one dog to another if they are unvaccinated, according to the RISPCA.
The agency recommends anyone who bought a puppy via Craigslist to contact their veterinarian, and if there are other dogs in the household, they should be vaccinated immediately.
Additionally, anyone with a puppy diagnosed with canine parvovirus is asked to contact Special Agent Earl Newman at (401) 438-8150 ext. 2.
