What You Need to Know About Pets and COVID-19

– Courtesy photo by StockSnap from Pixabay

Wondering what COVID-19 means for the animals in your life? The Department of Animal Care and Control has the information you need:

• The primary concern of Covid-19 is for human health.
• Dogs and cats have their own coronavirus that is NOT the same virus as COVID-19.
• There is no current evidence that you will get COVID-19 from your family pet.
• If you are sick with COVID-19, it is recommended to limit close contact with pets until more information is known about the virus. You should always wash your hands after handling animals as a general rule.
• It is recommended to wash your hands frequently, and avoid touching eyes, nose and mouth to prevent transmission of viruses like COVID-19 and influenza.
  • Alcohol-based hand sanitizers with at least 60% alcohol are recommended if soap and water are not available.
• Protect others from getting sick:
  •  Cover your mouth/nose when coughing or sneezing with a flexed elbow (or tissue).
  • Clean your hands after coughing or sneezing.
  • Owners should include pets in their emergency preparedness planning, including a two week supply of food and medications
• It is important to get your flu vaccination. Decreased influenza-related hospitalization will allow more people to be treated in the health care system if COVID-19 related hospitalization increases in the U.S.
• Further information from the Department of Public Health and Veterinary Public Health can be found here:
  • publichealth.lacounty.gov/media/Coronavirus/#.
  • publichealth.lacounty.gov/media/Coronavirus/FAQ-PetOwners.pdf.
  • publichealth.lacounty.gov/media/Coronavirus/FAQ.pdf.

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