COLUMBUS (WCMH) — The number of dogs euthanized amid the distemper outbreak at the Franklin County Dog Shelter has risen to 60, according to county leaders.

The latest update came during this week’s regularly scheduled Franklin County Commissioner’s meeting.

In a briefing, County Administrator Kenneth Wilson told the commissioners test results from two dogs, which are potentially infected, are pending.

On Tuesday, the dog shelter will only be open to residents wishing to pick up lost dogs.

Several animal rights activists plan to protest the shelter’s response to the outbreak on Tuesday afternoon, outside of the Franklin County Government Center.

There was one confirmed case of canine distemper so far but shelter officials believe most, if not all dogs in the shelter were exposed. Some are questioning whether the dozens of dogs needed to be put down.

The shelter reopened Monday on a limited basis with most of the remaining dog population in quarantine.

Canine distemper is a highly contagious and often fatal disease. Dogs  that survive the disease often suffer permanent damage to their nervous systems.

Some owners who just recently adopted dogs returned to the shelter Monday with sick animals.

Courtney Gomez says she adopted Joker, a boxer mix, on September 4th and had no idea the shelter had already identified at least one case of canine distemper. “He was fine until the next day I took him home and he was sick,” Gomez said.

Joker was coughing, lethargic and not interested in eating. Monday, a shelter veterinarian met Gomez and Joker in the parking lot and orders a series of tests including swabs to check for distemper.

Shelter director Don Winstel said Monday that symptoms of distemper look a lot like other common respiratory infections like “kennel cough.” He said the fact that a dog with distemper may be contagious for several days before showing symptoms complicated the problem at the shelter. “So it took us a little while to sort through – OK is this something simple or is it something more complicated and just how bad is is and what is the rate of respiratory disease and things like that,” Winstel said.

No explanation though is likely to ease Courtney Gomez’s frustration.

“Either way, I’m not happy with the results,”Gomez said. “I honestly think he has distemper, he’s showing all the signs. They should have never took in any more dogs or adopted out at the time.”