Pups Rescued From Hoarding Situation Pass Away Due To Parvo

MISSION VIEJO, CA — Two of the seven puppies Mission Viejo Animal Services rescued from a Riverside hoarder passed away after contracting the deadly Parvo virus.

The puppies, Schmango and Fergus, passed away despite being treated by the most advanced technical medical care available at the Mission Viejo Animal Services Center.

“We know their immune systems were not as strong as we had hoped, which could be explained by the hoarding situation they came from,” Animal Services Care Supervisor Brynn Lavison told Patch. "Our hearts are heavy as we grieve their loss."

Lavison thanked members of the Mission Viejo community who helped support the pups by donating to their medical treatment.

"If even one puppy owner has read about these pups and the horrific impacts of the Parvo virus and has since vaccinated their puppy, we will feel comforted in knowing their pup will be safe from this deadly virus," Lavison said.

Shmango and Fergus were two of more than 100 small dogs that were rescued from a two-bedroom townhome hoarder situation in Riverside County this month.

Seven of the 113 dogs found a new chance for life in South Orange County, including Shmango and Fergus.

Mission Viejo Animal Services was contacted by the Riverside County Animal Shelter Rescue Department Thursday, after the department had impounded 113 small dogs from a hoarder, the city said in a statement.

The dogs were discovered in the two-bedroom townhome after a fire started inside, the city said.

Mission Viejo Animal Services was able to rescue seven of the 113 dogs through the center's "A Mission for Home Program," City Spokeswoman Kelly Tokarski told Patch. The remaining 106 pups will be picked up by other rescues and make their way out of the Riverside County Animal Shelter, Tokarski told Patch.

For more information about the seven rescued dogs and other animals at the city's Animal Services Center, visit cmvas.org or call 949-470-3045.