People Are Needlessly Surrendering Their Dogs Amid COVID-19 Fears

Despite repeated expert advice that people cannot contract COVID-19 from family pets, shelters across the country are seeing large spikes in owner surrenders. Some are even receiving requests to have pets euthanized. There is plenty of fear to go around as we all do everything we can to make sure we stay healthy against this deadly virus. But we need to focus on facts, not fear, when it comes to making decisions that impact all lives, including those of our pets.

New Mexico Shelter Getting Five Requests a Day

The executive director of Watermelon Mountain Ranch told KOB4 that for the last two weeks or so, they have received about five owner surrender requests each day. Local veterinarian Dr. Veronica Bingamon with Zia Pet Hospital has been receiving requests to have pets euthanized. In talking to other vets in other states, she found that vet offices everywhere are getting similar requests. She told KOB4, “We do not need to be euthanizing any patient, any pet because of COVID-19,” she said. ” It is breaking our hearts to see that pets, healthy pets, are being abandoned from homes.” Dr. Bingamon says that there is no evidence that pets can transmit COVID-19 to humans.

Dogs Cannot Transmit COVID-19 to Humans

In an article published on Psychology Today, writer Stanley Coren, PhD compiled the scientific research into canines and COVID-19 after growing concern that so many dogs were being surrendered or euthanized due to fear. His article stated that the best research to date was done by IDEXX Reference Laboratories, a global network of more than 80 laboratories. They evaluated thousands of canine and feline specimens for the COVID-19 virus and “they reported on March 13, 2020, that they have seen no positive results in pets for the coronavirus strain responsible for the COVID-19 respiratory outbreak in humans.”

Further, results from “the Center for Disease Control (CDC), World Health Organization (WHO), American Veterinary Medical Association (AVMA), and the British Veterinary Association (BVA) have all concluded that the threat of transmission from dogs to humans is virtually nonexistent. Several representatives of these organizations have commented that the trend toward people abandoning their pets because of fear of the virus is unwarranted.”

Bottom line? Humans need to stop abandoning or killing their dogs out of fear!

CDC Recommendations if You Have Animals

The CDC website says “We do not have evidence that companion animals, including pets, can spread COVID-19 to people or that they might be a source of infection in the United States.” There have been cases of pets outside of the US testing positive for COVID-19 after being in close contact with an infected human, but those pets do not show symptoms. That being said, the CDC stresses that there is much that experts still do not understand about COVID-19. Given that, the CDC recommends the following precautions to protect your pets IF you are sick.

“Although there have been no reports of pets becoming sick with COVID-19 in the United States, it is still recommended that people sick with COVID-19 limit contact with animals until more information is known about the virus. This can help ensure both you and your animals stay healthy.

• When possible, have another member of your household care for your animals while you are sick.
• Avoid contact with your pet including, petting, snuggling, being kissed or licked, and sharing food.
• If you must care for your pet or be around animals while you are sick, wash your hands before and after you interact with them.

For more information visit: What to Do if You are Sick.”

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