14/03/2020
Can your pets catch and spread the coronavirus? β οΈ
There is currently no evidence to suggest our companion animals are a source of spread or can become sick from the virus. Therefore, there is no justification for the abandonment of pets that we are hearing of over social media.. π’
In a time like this, we of course all need to be careful and practice good hygiene. We must follow guidelines and watch for updates. Although there has been one case where a dog in Hong Kong (who was exposed to the illness through his sick owners) was testing weak positive for the virus, the dog itself was symptomless and there is no proof that they were then able to spread the disease.
Please encourage other pet owners to be sensible. Practice good hygiene. But do not panic and abandon or rehome your pets! π’COVID-19 is a human to human viral infection. There are more studies being conducted to rule out the animal to human spread, so keep a look out for these updates. If you contract the virus, it might be safe to have someone else care for your animals until you are better.
Read here for the most recently updated guidelines on COVID-19 and our companion animals:https://www.avma.org/sites/default/files/2020-03/covid-19-faq-pet-owners.pdf