As we scramble to comply with shelter-in-place orders and to stay virus-free, there are a lot of questions about the role of pets in our lives – along with some misconceptions. As a longtime animal advocate, let me share what I’ve learned, to help those who have a pet, are worried about being able to continue its care, or are thinking of bringing one into their home.
First and most important, for those frightened of getting
COVID 19 from their pets or giving it to them: Dogs, cats, and rabbits (!)
are not vectors for this coronavirus! Both the Centers for Disease Control
(CDC) and the American Veterinary Medical Association (AVMA) affirm that there
is no evidence of any link between domestic animals and COVID 19. (For more information, visit https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/prepare/animals.html ;
https://www.avma.org/sites/default/files/2020-03/covid-19-faq-pet-owners_031520.pdf ).
A leading testing company, IDEXX, has not been able to identify a single case
in pets. ( https://www.idexx.com/en/about-idexx/news/no-covid-19-cases-pets/ ).
The evidence is a bit less clear regarding contact with the virus
on a surface like fur. The AVMA has concluded that the coronavirus persists
longer on smooth, nonporous surfaces than on porous ones like fur, thus
reducing the likelihood that surface contamination of fur would last very long.
That said, it’s better to be safe than sorry. Don’t let anyone else (other than
family members in the same household) touch your pet at this time, and don’t
pet another person’s companion animal. If you bring a new animal into your
home, it’s probably a good idea to give it a bath right away. (Less fun with
cats, but still doable!)