NEW YORK CITY — The Health Department has given the all clear for normal cat adoptions to resume at city shelters, more than a month after operations were halted due to an outbreak of a bird flu-like disease.
Hundreds of cats were taken from Animal Care and Control shelters across the boroughs last month after showing symptoms of the H7N2 virus, which is considered a strain of bird flu, officials said.
A temporary quarantine shelter was put in place as the felines recovered from the illness, and the Health Department advised anyone who adopted cats from ACC shelters between Nov. 12 and Dec. 15 to monitor them for flu-like symptoms.
But the agency gave the go-ahead on Wednesday for typical adoptions to resume.
“We will continue to do everything we can to ensure the cats in our care remain healthy and find loving homes,” Health Commissioner Mary Bassett said.
The Health Department also plans to invest $600,000 in additional medical staff at ACC shelters through the summer.