PetSmart has suspended animal adoptions at 22 of its Maryland and Virginia locations after a kitten adopted at a Greenbelt, Md., store had rabies.
The store learned of the infection last week after the owner returned the kitten because it was lurching and unsteady. According to reports, Cindy Sharpley, director of Last Chance Animal Rescue, the kitten bit her on the hand when she tried to handle it.
PetSmart does not sell cats and dogs, however, it provides space to rescue groups and shelters to hold adoptions.
The infected kitten and its five littermates were euthanized. Even though pets are vaccinated before they're adopted, rabies has an incubation period during which it isn't detectable.
Both Sharpley and the kittens owner are being treated for rabies as a precaution, though it is not yet known if either was infected.
The Prince Georges County, Maryland Health Department is asking people to contact the agency if they came into contact with any of the six kittens at the stores adoption center.
The six kittens were in the PetSmart store from May 14 to 19, according to John Marsiglia, manager of the Greenbelt location.
Posted: June 8, 2006, 5:00 a.m. EST