ATLANTA (AP) - An Atlanta-area animal shelter that closed to suppress an infection resulting in at least four dog deaths could reopen as early as Friday.

Cobb County spokesman Ross Cavitt has said tests on dogs at the county shelter showed they had the highly contagious illness streptococcus zooepidemicus. The often fatal bacterial infection affects animals’ respiratory systems.

The Atlanta Journal-Constitution reports the shelter closed two weeks ago and stopped accepting new animals. In a county message on Twitter Monday, cleaners could be seen in full body suits scrubbing cages. Cavitt said on Tuesday that remaining animals were being vaccinated and the facility is preparing to reopen by the end of the week.

The newspaper says animals adopted days before the closure didn’t exhibit symptoms after leaving.

Remaining animals have been held off-site.

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Information from: The Atlanta Journal-Constitution, http://www.ajc.com

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