Coronavirus Frequently Asked Questions For Pet Owners
Q: Can my pet catch COVID-19?
A: There is currently very little evidence that pets can catch coronavirus. There have been reports of COVID 19 positive pets in social media, which have not been fully investigated yet and the situation is being monitored but there is no reason for concern currently.
Q: Can I catch COVID-19 from my pet?
A: There is no evidence that pets can transmit and pass the infection on to humans, however the virus can survive on surfaces including your pet’s fur. This risk can be managed by normal hygiene precautions such as washing your hands after touching your pet or handling their food, waste and bedding, as you would anyway.
Q: Can my pet pass COVID-19 to another pet?
A: There is no evidence that this can happen but as the virus can survive on surfaces including your pet’s fur then sensible precautions should be taken, such as washing your hands after coughing or sneezing before then touching your pet and not letting them lick your face. If you have signs of the virus, try to minimise your contact with your pet and wear a face mask if possible so that the chance of the virus getting onto their fur is minimised.
Q: Can I care for my pet if I get COVID-19?
A: If you are showing symptoms of COVID-19 then you can still care for your pet but sensible precautions should be taken. It is advisable to minimise physical contact with your pet to minimise the risk of transmitting the virus to others via their fur and it is recommended to wear a face mask if possible. Particularly if you have coughed or sneezed, wash your hands before touching your pet, and try to avoid letting them lick your face.
Q. Should I allow my cat outside?
A. Cats should preferable be kept indoors, or at least within a secure garden, which is particularly important if they frequently visit other people’s houses. If you cannot keep your cat in try to avoid physical contact with them, and do not touch cats that are not yours as a precaution.
Q. Can I walk my dog during social distancing?
A. You can still walk your dog whilst practicing social distancing, this involves being at least two metres away from another person, avoiding petting other people’s pets and avoiding crowded areas.
- Maintain a distance of 2 meters between yourself and others
- Have only one person walking the dog at a time
- Wash your dog’s paws and tail after a walk with a pet friendly shampoo
- Wash your hands before and after a walk
- Aim to walk your dog in less well-known areas
- If someone else is walking your dog, give them a separate collar, lead and toys to use.
- Avoid letting others pet your dog and avoid petting others.
Q. Will I be able to get dog food, wormers and flea treatment from you?
A. It would be recommended to keep at least a week’s worth of dog food in case you need to isolate, however please be aware not to stockpile food. You can contact us via are PetsApp to order anything your pet needs. We have a delivery service available too.
Q. I heard Hand Sanitiser was poisonous for my pet, is this true?
A. There have been posts on Facebook about hand sanitisers containing Ethylene Glycol (which is anti-freeze and incredibly toxic to pets) This is false. They contain ethanol (alcohol) which is only harmful if you pet ingests the entire bottle. Licking your hand after you have applied it will not cause any harm.
