Benton Animal Services will reopen to the public today at 11:00 p.m. following a consecutive two-week closure triggered by a highly contagious and deadly outbreak of Canine Parvovirus. The reopening comes with a transition to new leadership, adjusted public operating hours, and temporary modifications to the shelter’s volunteer program to ensure facility safety and cleanliness. Read more below.
The facility was initially forced to close on July 30, 2026, when shelter staff discovered Parvo symptoms in a litter of four puppies that had been brought into the isolation area. While all four puppies tested positive for the highly contagious virus, two subsequently died despite treatment, while the other two survived and will be made available for adoption pending their spay/neuter procedures.
As the shelter prepared to reopen after an initial week-long sanitation shutdown, a second litter of puppies in the isolation area presented with symptoms, with one puppy already deceased upon discovery. After the remaining littermates tested positive, shelter officials made the difficult decision to euthanize the six surviving puppies of that litter to prevent further spread of the deadly virus. To allow for additional observation, treatment, and thorough deep cleaning, the facility’s closure was extended for a second week.
“Parvo can be extremely difficult to eliminate from an environment and can be inadvertently carried on clothing, shoes and other surfaces,” shelter officials said in a statement. “The risk of an infected animal or contaminated material leaving the facility and potentially exposing pets in homes throughout our community was simply too great.”
The reopening also marks a fresh start for the department’s leadership. The city has introduced Anya Littlefield as the new Animal Services Director, alongside Haylee Chapman, who will serve as the new Office Manager. Littlefield and her team are asking for the public’s patience and cooperation as they implement structural changes to optimize the shelter’s operations.
Among those changes is a new schedule for public operating hours, which takes effect today, Friday, August 14, 2026. Under the new guidelines, the shelter will be open to the public during the following times:
- Monday through Friday: 11:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.
- Saturday: 1:00 p.m. to 4:00 p.m.
- Sunday: 1:00 p.m. to 4:00 p.m.
While public hours are reduced, the working hours for Benton Animal Services employees will remain unchanged. The mornings from 8:00 a.m. to 11:00 a.m. on weekdays will now be strictly dedicated to behind-the-scenes operations, including facility maintenance, animal care, feeding, and staff training.
“We understand that changing our public hours may be an inconvenience for some members of our community,” said Director Anya Littlefield. “However, we believe this is a necessary change to ensure that our staff has the time and resources needed to provide the highest level of service possible to our community and the best care possible for the animals entrusted to us.”
Additionally, officials have implemented a temporary change to the shelter’s volunteer program as part of the safety protocols during the transition period. Further updates on volunteer guidelines will be released as normal operations safely resume.
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