WEATHERFORD - After adopting two puppies at a Weatherford animal shelter, Emma Flores drove them back to the shelter because she discovered they may had contracted rabies along with 50 other animals.

"They were good little puppies while they were with us," Flores said. "My kids don't know yet."

The rabies incident began at the end of October when one of the adopted puppies got sick after it left the shelter. A vet discovered the dog had rabies.

Now the shelter has recalled all the animals adopted from the shelter that week.

"The puppies were placed in a play area where we put a lot of puppies," said Tammie Alexander, Weatherford Police Department.

Those at the shelter have found it hard asking families who adopted the pets to give them up.

"It's been really hard on me and our staff here," said Gladys Hansen, a staff member at the shelter. "... We're asking them to bring back a part of their family and give it up. In my career of 32 years, I've done some difficult things, but yesterday was one of the most difficult I've ever spent."

The state recommended Sunday that after a 10 day quarantine, the animals be put down, which while Alexander says is devastating, is something that's being done in the best interest of public safety.

"The rabies virus is a deadly virus and you can never recover from it," she said.

Anyone looking for more information on the situation is asked to call Weatherford Police Department at (817) 598-4300 or (817) 598-4310.

E-mail blozano@wfaa.com