CHARLESTON, W.Va. (AP) - At least 80 dogs at a West Virginia animal shelter are to be euthanized after some of the animals contracted a contagious viral infection.

Kanawha County officials said Wednesday that the Kanawha-Charleston Animal Shelter facility on Greenbrier Street is closed until further notice.

The Charleston Gazette reports (http://bit.ly/TZsTap) that the shelter's director told county officials that there had been an outbreak and there needed to be a "massive cleanup."

Officials say the outbreak was started because a stray animal came in that was infected with distemper and passed it on to other dogs.

State veterinary officials say dogs with distemper begin demonstrating symptoms of respiratory infection. If gone untreated, it progresses to a neurological disease that's usually fatal.

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