FARMINGTON – The Franklin County Animal Shelter will close to the public Saturday, Jan. 10, for at least four weeks after two cats tested positive for ringworm this week, Manager Patty Lovell said Friday.

“We’ve opted to close to the public to go through the building again and reassess just to make sure all the animals are healthy,” she said.

It is the second outbreak since November when the shelter shut down for three weeks as a precaution after one kitten tested positive for the fungus. It reopened Dec. 1.

“We found two positives in the population this week and that’s why we’re going to temporarily shut down,” Lovell said.

The building will again be cleaned thoroughly and cultures will be done on all the cats, Lovewell said, and all the animals will be screened.

Ringworm is contagious to both humans and other animals, Lovewell said.

There are 100 cats, nine dogs and one rabbit at the shelter.

“We are looking for volunteers to help wash the interior of the building and to paint the walls,” she said.

There would be no contact with the animals.

Lovewell recommended those who are interested in helping could bring a change of clothes and could shower at the shelter if they wanted to afterward.

Lovewell may be reached at the shelter at 778-2638.