Q: I’ve heard about dogs and cats testing positive for COVID-19, is my pet at risk?
A: The short answer is that most pets are at low risk. There are only limited cases of pets testing positive for COVID-19 and all of them have experienced mild respiratory symptoms and are expected to make a full recovery.
Q: How should I protect my pet from COVID-19?
A: Try to limit your pet’s interaction with other people and animals. For now, walks and fetch with family members is safer than the dog park and cats should be kept indoors if possible. If you are diagnosed with or suspect you have COVID-19, try to limit contact with your pets. If you must interact, wear a mask to protect them.
Q: Can an infected pet spread COVID-19 to my human family members?
A: There is currently no evidence that household pets are a source of COVID-19 infection in humans and there is no reason to believe that pets can spread the disease to humans. Taking proper social distancing precautions for your human family members and pets is the best way to protect all family members.
Q: I’m worried about the possibility of my pets spreading COVID-19 to my family, should I surrender them.
A: Please don’t surrender or abandon your pets because of COVID-19 fears. Again, there is absolutely no reason to believe that pets can spread COVID-19 to humans. Right now, pets can be an incredible source of comfort and they are best off staying with their human families.
**This content is based on information from the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) and the American Veterinary Medical Association (AMVA).