Here Kitty Kitty – Don’t Carry Out The Virus

Animal adoptions are up as bored, lonely and anxious people are getting pets to help get them through sheltering in place.  But what should happen to pets if the lock down is the result of a COVID-19 diagnosis and call for quarantine?  More conflicting info? 

Fox News is reporting on an advisory from the British Veterinary Association (BVA) saying that cats from households with confirmed or possible COVID-19 infections should remain indoors, if possible.

On their website, the group writes, “We are not advising that all cats are kept indoors. Only cats from infected households or where their owners are self-isolating, and only if the cat is happy to be kept indoors. Some cats cannot stay indoors due to stress-related medical reasons.”

They go on to explain that animals can carry the virus out of their homes on their fur, just as the virus can live on other surfaces like tables and doorknobs. They also stress that pet owners should continue practicing good hand hygiene.

Also, the group says that there is a small amount of evidence that infected humans can pass the virus on to their animals, and that there is “no evidence that pets can pass COVID-19 to their owners.”