The Vashon Island Pet Protectors (VIPP) cat shelter, which closed for nearly three months to address a small ringworm outbreak, is now adopting cats by appointment only. VIPP hopes the shelter will be fully operational  by Saturday, Sept. 24, said Geoff Fletcher, president of the animal rescue group.

Fletcher said that although the shelter is likely ringworm free now, it will fully open once all the cats have tested negative for ringworm five times. 

He said that since three cats were discovered to have the disease in June, shelter volunteers have taken extreme measures to prevent its spread and have tested cats more than the shelter standard of three times to assure the ringworm is gone.

“We’ve been more successful than people expected because it didn’t spread beyond the three that were infected,” he said.

Fletcher estimates that the ringworm outbreak cost VIPP about $3,500, including the cost of testing and medicating the cats. He said they hope to recoup some of the losses at VIPP’s annual Fur Ball in October.

To make an appointment to adopt a cat at the shelter, email cats@vipp.org or call Terri Fletcher at 463-1979.