A PetSmart in Chicago’s South Loop has at least one confirmed case of dog flu, the company confirmed Wednesday evening.
The dog with canine influenza was staying at PetSmart's boarding facility PetHotel when diagnosed, according to a company spokesperson.
Pet owner John Foley said he had just stopped by the Canal Street location to pick up his dog Tucker when he got the alarming news.
“They told me just now [that they had a] couple puppies with a cough and they were keeping an eye on them,” Foley told NBC Chicago.
Foley says he knows just how serious the canine flu can be: Tucker caught it on another visit to PetSmart’s PetsHotel about two months ago.
“They took him straight to the hospital, got him medicated,” Foley said. “[He] came back, finished medication and was just fine after that.”
Local
PetSmart has since stopped taking reservations at their PetsHotel and asked the owners of the pets currently being boarded to pick them up as soon as possible.
Once the hotel is empty the store will begin a rigorous 72-hour disinfecting process.
"The health and well being of pets is our top priority and we are going to do everything we can to help contain the spread of this virus,” the company said in a statement.
Earlier this year the number of dog flu cases in the Chicago area reached epidemic proportions, causing doggie daycares to close and dog parks to go empty.