Take a deep breath: Do you recognize signs of air quality problems in your shelter?
- Persistent respiratory disease or recurrent outbreaks (in humans or dogs)
- Strong and persistent animal odors in and beyond animal housing spaces
- Uncomfortable temperature or humidity levels
- Areas that feel stuffy or stale
- Kennels that don’t dry after cleaning
- Dusty surfaces or visible mold growth
Poor air quality plays a role in upper respiratory infections in dogs and cats, lowering respiratory tract defenses and leading to more severe infections and longer recovery times. Luckily, there are simple steps we can take to make a difference.
Improving indoor air quality can reduce infectious aerosols, microscopic particles that carry respiratory pathogens, which contribute to the spread of respiratory infections between dogs—and humans. The good news is cats do not typically spread diseases through aerosols as long as they are separated by at least four feet, since respiratory droplets—heavier particles produced with sneezes or coughs—fall to the ground before reaching another cat.
Three easy tips to help everyone breathe easier and feel better:
- Increase ventilation: Let in fresh outdoor air or increase ventilation through the HVAC system. Try using an inexpensive CO2 monitor to track carbon dioxide levels in a range of conditions (varying number of animals, windows open versus closed, and/or different HVAC settings) as an indicator of indoor air quality. If you can maintain levels at or below 800 ppm, ventilation is pretty good.
- MERV up: Install and replace or clean HVAC filters frequently. A filter with a MERV-13 rating or better can capture most of the particles that carry pathogens in the air. Some filters, including carbon filters, may also help reduce odors.
- Plug in a purifier: Where increasing ventilation is not an option, consider using an air purifier that is safe and effective for your specific needs, which may include reducing odors, germs and CIRDC pathogens, dust, wildfire smoke particles, or other particulates in the air.
For a deeper dive into assessing and improving indoor air quality, watch Clear the Air: Practical Methods for Assessing and Improving Indoor Air Quality in Animal Shelters.
The bottom line: Air quality matters to animal health and well-being, but operating within your shelter’s capacity for care remains the number one contributor to animal wellness. The benefits of improved air quality are likely to be limited when crowding challenges your ability to provide preventative and medical care. For tips on fighting crowding and ensuring every animal’s needs are met, check out the recent Capacity for Care Report Card from The Association for Animal Welfare Advancement.
If you need support and guidance, we can help! Email sheltermedicine@ucdavis.edu.