Heartland Animal Shelter, located just outside of Chicago in Northbrook, Illinois, is a no-kill animal shelter dedicated to rescuing homeless cats and dogs and ending the euthanasia of adoptable animals. As part of the shelter’s mission to help the most vulnerable populations of animals, Heartland often takes in dogs with serious medical issues, including parvovirus.

Parvovirus, or parvo, is a highly contagious viral illness that affects dogs and causes severe, life-threatening symptoms. While puppies are most at risk of contracting parvo because of their naive immune systems, unvaccinated dogs of all ages are vulnerable to this deadly disease. The good news is that parvo is preventable with vaccines, and treatable with intensive care. 

Because of the support of the James Banks Foundation, Heartland was able to take in more puppies and dogs at risk of euthanasia or death due to parvo in 2020 and has continued to build its parvovirus treatment and prevention programs. The shelter’s medical team went through training with national leaders on best-practice recommendations for treating parvo in shelters, and were also able to update the shelter’s isolation unit with all of the best supplies and medications needed to achieve an incredibly high success rate in treating dogs with this disease. Heartland is also planning a series of free vaccine clinics in underserved areas of the community to help prevent the spread of parvo among owned dogs so that fewer dogs have to go through this devastating disease. It is because of the James Banks Foundation that hundreds of dogs will never have to experience parvo and those that do will be given the best possible chance at recovery and living long, happy lives. To learn more about Heartland Animal Shelter, please visit: www.heartlandanimalshelter.org.