The Monmouth County SPCA animal center reopened Thursday after being forced to close for a month due to an outbreak of the dog flu.

The shelter has resumed animal adoptions, and officials say that there are hundreds of dogs and cats waiting to be adopted.

“All of our dogs are healthy, they are flu-free, and they are ready to go home to their forever homes,” says Monmouth County SPCA director Ross Licitra.

Licitra says that canine influenza is not deadly to dogs, but that it is very contagious.

“Making the decision to shut down the shelter at the busiest time of year was, we know, the right decision, but also a hard decision to make,” he says.

The shelter is now filled with dogs and kittens after its 25-day closure.

“Gilbert is one of the 64 kittens that came back to us at the end of last week, ready to spay or neuter, ready to be adopted,” says assistant director Barbara Lovell-Napoli.

Monmouth SPCA officials say that more than 1,300 kittens came through the facility in 2019.

“The public has been very kind, very supportive. Over 5,000 animals came through here last year and we need to take care of them all.",” says Lovell-Napoli.

The Monmouth County SPCA is open every day except Tuesdays for pet adoptions. The veterinary center has also reopened to the public. Managers say they took a financial hit during the closure and that monetary donations are always welcome.