Covid-19 & Pets: What You Need To Know

Atlanta, Georgia, USA: Treat pets as you would other human family members – do not let pets interact with people outside the household.  In addition, if a person inside the household becomes sick, isolate that person from everyone else, including pets.

The latest advisory from the Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) headquartered in Georgia, USA, on 28 June 2020, notes that a small number of pets worldwide, including cats and dogs, have been infected with the virus, mostly after close contact with people with Covid-19.

While it appears that the virus can spread from people to animals in some situations, the risk of animals spreading Covid-19 to people is considered to be low. As such, the CDC recommends that pet owners limit their pet’s interaction with people outside their household.

For cat owners, the advice is to keep them indoors when possible and do not let them roam freely outside.
When walking dogs keep them on a leash at least two meters away from others and avoid public places where a large number of people gather.

Pet owners should not put face coverings on pets as this could cause harm. In addition, the CDC states: “Do not wipe or bathe your pet with chemical disinfectants, alcohol, hydrogen peroxide, or any other products not approved for animal use.”