What Happens to Cats and Dogs When Their Owners Test Positive for COVID-19? Will They Be Euthanized?
When pet owners test positive for COVID-19, their cats and dogs can either be isolated alongside their owners or cared for by local staff who provide in-home feeding services. Although there is a risk of pets contracting the virus, euthanasia should not be the solution. Instead, more appropriate measures should be taken to ensure their well-being.
Since the pandemic began, there have been cases, such as those in Shangrao, Jiangxi, Wuxi, Jiangsu, Hangzhou, Zhejiang, and Xi'an, Shaanxi, where pets were culled without their owners' consent, sparking public outrage. While some regions have opted for such drastic measures, many other provinces and cities have adopted more flexible approaches during epidemic prevention and control.
What to Do With Pets When Owners Test Positive?
When a pet owner tests positive for COVID-19, several options should be considered. The priority is ensuring both the owner's and the pet’s safety, while following public health guidelines.
1. Centralized Quarantine with Pets
In some instances, pets can be taken to centralized quarantine facilities with their owners. For example, when the Zhaotong Road residential area in Huangpu District, Shanghai, was designated as a medium-risk area and placed under lockdown, residents were allowed to bring their pets with them during centralized quarantine, provided basic epidemic prevention requirements were met. However, this option is generally not available for confirmed cases, suspected cases, or asymptomatic carriers who need to be transferred to designated medical facilities for treatment or isolation.
2. In-Home Pet Care by Local Staff
When owners cannot care for their pets due to isolation requirements, local staff can step in to provide care. For example, during a COVID-19 outbreak in Liwan District, Guangzhou, local staff took turns visiting the homes of quarantined residents to feed their pets based on their specific needs. Similarly, in Chengdu High-tech Zone, after a COVID-19 patient’s cat was confined in a bathroom, local disease control, police, and community volunteers delivered cat food and performed an anal swab test on the cat. These instances highlight the importance of a flexible approach that considers both the public health and the well-being of animals. This approach demonstrates a better balance of community health and animal welfare during public health crisis.
These examples demonstrate that there are better options than euthanasia when dealing with pets of COVID-19 positive individuals. The focus should always be on animal welfare while ensuring public safety.Read more here:Pet Breeds
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