KINGSVILLE - - When Petey sleeps, his tiny chest and belly rise and fall with an endless rhythm. A tiny black paw twitches as he chases a phantom dream rabbit.

Petey doesn't know it, but even when he is just sleeping he is a little miracle.

Petey was in the cage adjacent to one of the 28 dogs stricken with the canine virus parvo at the Ashtabula County Animal Protective League two weeks ago, and he is lucky enough to be one of the 160 dogs at the shelter healthy and ready to be adopted.

The APL shelter, located on Green Road, will open it's doors today at noon in a grand opening celebration.

"After weeks of intense cleaning and proper care our facility is back to safe operation level," shelter director Michael Riffe said. "We were one of many shelters in the state of Ohio hit this month with this horrible disease, but now the dogs are safe and ready for adoption."

The shelter was in full quarantine for two weeks and did not accept dogs, or adopt-out dogs, until the parvo outbreak was contained.

Devastating in puppies and highly contagious, parvo attacks the lining of the digestive system and causes a disruption in a dog's ability to absorb nutrients or liquids. Symptoms are dramatic and include diarrhea, vomiting and lethargy. Usually, the dogs stop eating and develop a bloody, foul-smelling, liquid stool.

Cats and other animals are not affected by parvo, which is carried exclusively by dogs. Humans can carry the virus on clothing or shoes and infect unvaccinated dogs. The virus most commonly is transmitted via canine fecal matter; it is not an airborne virus. Rottweilers and pit bull terriers are particularly susceptible to parvo.

The virus can last a long time in the environment, perhaps nine months or longer if it is not killed by disinfectant.

The shelter has been disinfected and cleansed and all dogs have been vaccinated and prepared for adoption. There have been no signs of parvo in the last 14 days. Parvo has a 10-day incubation period, Riffe said.

"Every dog at the shelter is protected by vaccination. They are healthy dogs ready for new homes," APL board president Nancy Warner said.

Riffe said the shelter will open today with special prizes and giveaways including adoption fee discounts, new collars and leashes and even a free adoption. The sale will run all week.

"The sale is to help some animals get good homes after this shelter shut down and is also a way of thanking the public for what they have done for the shelter," Riffe said.

In coming weeks, the shelter will host the "Mystery Dog of the Week." One mystery dog will be chosen. If a person chooses to adopt the mystery dog, the adoption fee will be waived.

"The Letter Game" is a half-off sale. Riffe will choose a letter and any dog or cat with a name starting with that letter will be half off.