Baltimore Animal Rescue and Care Shelter temporarily suspended dog intakes Thursday evening due to a growing number of canines with a respiratory illness, according to the shelter.

There has been a “significant uptick” in canine infectious respiratory disease complex over the last six to eight weeks at BARCS, the organization said in an online statement.

Some of the animals with the illness have not responded to treatment, leading to pneumonia, which requires extensive treatment and isolation. The extra treatment placed a “significant financial strain on BARCS” and the staff asked for donations to their medical care fund.

The temporary suspension will help decrease the number of dogs in the shelter so the staff can focus on isolating and treating those that are ill, as well as conduct lab testing, using enhanced quarantine measures while not exposing new canines to CIRDC, according to the shelter.

“While this disease is not transmissible to other species, its impact on our canine population has been severe, and we must take immediate action to safeguard the health of the animals in our care,” the BARCS statement read.

What is CIRDC?

Symptoms of CIRDC include coughing, nasal discharge or lethargy.

BARCS encourages pet owners to watch for those signs of illness, make sure their pets have updated vaccinations and only allow their dog to interact with known healthy dogs.

BARCS Chief Medical Officer Bobbie Mammato said in a statement the safest place for a healthy dog is with their owner. He also asked that the community work together to refrain from surrendering dogs or bringing in lost canines until the illness is contained.

Adoptions and fostering healthy dogs will continue, Mammato said. Dogs with mild symptoms and can be treated in a quiet home, away from other dogs, are also eligible for adoption and foster care.

There is not a date when dog intakes will resume, but the shelter will post on the website and social media with updates, according to the statement.