These results have raised many questions and concerns. Can our dogs really catch the virus? Should we be worried about our pets getting sick? Could dogs spread coronavirus between people?
To read more on this story, click here: Hong Kong dog causes panic – but here’s why you needn’t worry about pets spreading COVID-19
BALTIMORE — As the nation continues to grapple with the coronavirus pandemic, veterinarians are looking to protect a vulnerable group that’s often overlooked: zoo animals. But just like their human counterparts, it's taking some effort to get the animals comfortable with the medicine.
Trainers at the Maryland Zoo in Baltimore are performing regular exercises with certain animals to prepare them for their future shots.
To read more on this story, click here: Maryland Zoo prepares to vaccinate animals against COVID-19
A wild American mink in Utah has tested positive for the coronavirus — the first wild animal found to be infected with the virus, researchers say.
The wild mink was infected with a variant of the coronavirus that was “indistinguishable” from viruses taken from nearby farmed minks, researchers with the U.S. Department of Agriculture wrote in a Dec. 13 report. That suggests that the wild mink acquired the infection from farmed animals. It’s not clear if the animal was alive or dead at the time of testing.
To read more on this story, click here: A Mink in Utah is the First Known Case of the Coronavirus in a wild Animal
According to Pets4Homes, by May 2020 there were more than 400 buyers for every pet advertised in the UK. Pet insurance policies increased by 59%, according to data from LV= General Insurance, and Google searches for “buy a puppy” increased by 115%, with prices for some of the most sought-after breeds reaching record levels.
Fast forward just over a year, and animal shelters are bracing for an incoming wave of animals, and pet sales websites are filling up with listings for puppies being resold.
To read more on this story, click here: Pandemic Puppies: Tackling A Growing Problem
The first pets in the United States, two cats from New York State, have tested positive for the virus that is causing the worldwide pandemic, the Agriculture Department and the Centers for Disease Control announced Wednesday.
The cats, from different parts of the state, are showing only mild symptoms and are expected to be fine.
Testing positive does not mean the cats have the same illness that people have. Nor does it mean that the cats can pass on the illness to people. And tests for pets are not the same as those for people, so no humans missed out on testing because the cats were tested.
To read more on this story, click here: Two Cats Are First U.S. Pets to Test Positive for Coronavirus
Cat owners may wish to be more cautious about contact with their pets, as a study from China has revealed Covid-19 can be transmitted between cats.
The team, at Harbin Veterinary Research Institute in China, found that cats are highly susceptible to Covid-19 and appear to be able to transmit the virus through respiratory droplets to other cats. Dogs, chickens, pigs and ducks were found to be unlikely to catch the infection, however.
To read more on this story, click here: Cats Can Infect Each Other With Coronavirus, Chinese Study Finds
There was a huge surge in demand for puppies over lockdown as people on furlough and working from home wanted companionship. For some, it was the perfect opportunity to train a young dog.
However, as people return to work they have found they no longer have time for their pooch, and have been abandoning their pets at animal welfare charities.
To read more on this story, click here: Lockdown Puppies Being Increasingly Abandoned By Owners
Finland has deployed coronavirus-sniffing dogs at the Nordic country’s main international airport in a four-month trial of an alternative testing method that could become a cost-friendly and quick way to identify infected travelers.
Four dogs of different breeds trained by Finland’s Smell Detection Association started working Wednesday at the Helsinki Airport as part of the government-financed trial.
To read more on this story, click here: Finland Deploys Coronavirus-Sniffing Dogs at Main Airport
Buin Zoo, on the outskirts of the capital Santiago, is ordinarily one of the city's top attractions but it is struggling to stay afloat in an extraordinary year.
Visitor numbers dropped off during widespread social protests over inequality that started in October with looting and arson attacks at their fringes. The coronavirus outbreak in March shut down the zoo, capping a "bleak" year, Ignacio Idalsoaga, the zoo's director, said in an interview.
To read more on this story, click here: Wanted: Animal Godparents for Chilean Zoo in 'Bleak' Year
People have been following various preventive measures to curb the spread of COVID-19 from individuals to their pets. These measures include buying face masks for their pet dogs to wear while on walks during the pandemic. But the Centers for Diseases Control and Prevention (CDC) warns against it and says it could harm the animals.
"DYK it’s not safe to put a mask on your pet? While pets can get #COVID19 from people, the risk of pets spreading COVID-19 is low. Instead, protect your pet by limiting their contact with sick people and people outside the household," read CDC’s recent tweet.
To read more on this story, click here: CDC Warns Against Using Masks On Pet Animals, Says It 'Could Harm' Them
