Protesters gather outside the OSPCA shelter in Newmarket, Ont., on Wednesday, upset over plans to euthanize more than 300 animals. (CBC)

The Ontario Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals now says there will be "no mass euthanization" of animals at a shelter north of Toronto.

At a news conference on Thursday morning, OSPCA chairman Rob Godfrey said reports that hundreds of cats, dogs, rabbits and other small animals will be destroyed because of a ringworm epidemic are not correct.

So far, 99 animals have been humanely euthanized, he said, but the outlook for the rest is good.

Godfrey said 96 animals were not even in the York Region facility when the ringworm outbreak became public knowledge. Records show those animals were being cared for in so-called foster homes. It is unlikely, according to the OSPCA, that those animals will test positive for the fungus.

A further 15 animals were taken from the facility without authorization.

OSPCA chairman Rob Godfrey said a communication lapse led to confusion about the number of animals that would be euthanized. (CBC)

The remaining 140 are still at risk, though Godfrey said only 23 dogs and 21 cats have been singled out for further testing.

Godfrey apologized for confusion over the number of animals affected by the ringworm outbreak, blaming it on a communications lapse.

Earlier this week, the York Region shelter was closed and staff were sent home because of the outbreak. The OSPCA said at the time all 350 of the pets were to be euthanized to stop the spread of the disease.

But Godfrey said most of the animals — about two-thirds — will be re-examined and treated on a "case by case" basis. No determination will be made on whether to euthanize the animals until they have been examined, he said.

The 236 pets still being cared for by the shelter or foster families — most of them dogs and cats — will be tested and treated for ringworm infection.

"There's great optimism" that most of the animals will survive, Godfrey said.

Pet lovers protested

Earlier this week, the OSPCA said its veterinarians and experts decided the way to deal with the ringworm epidemic was to destroy the dogs, cats, rabbits and other small animals in the Newmarket shelter just north of Toronto.

That led to protests from people who thought the action was too extreme.

Even Ontario Premier Dalton McGuinty got involved in the controversy. He said Wednesday that "when you're talking about animals and animal welfare, it's something that can be very emotional, that can be very near or dear to the hearts of people."

The OSPCA said the outbreak was caused by human error — that protocols for identifying ringworm in animals were not followed. The shelter will undergo a thorough cleansing and an inspection to ensure the ringworm is eradicated before it reopens for adoptions.

In the meantime, new trailers have been brought to the site to help house staff and animals. Some of the infected pets will be cared for by volunteers, veterinarians and at other shelters.

In animals, ringworm causes small patches of hair loss and discoloration of the skin. Animals begin scratching and break the skin, attempting to get relief.