HONG KONG (SE): In a statement posted on Facebook on March 2, the Justice and Peace Commission of Hong Kong raised concerns about the abandonment or slaughtering of pets in China after a senior health official there said on January 29 that the Covid-19 (SARS-CoV-2) coronavirus could spread among mammals.
The commission said owners should take care of their pets all the more during the epidemic. A similar appeal was made also by the Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals, the Hong Kong Veterinary Association and the veterinary experts of City University of Hong Kong on January 29.
The statement of the Justice and Peace Commission quoted Tom Mangan, president of Hong Kong Veterinary Association, who stressed that Covid-19 in cats and dogs will not cause pneumonia in the pets nor be transmitted to humans.
“There are many reasons for pets to develop fever, sneeze or cough. If your pets are unwell, you should bring them to a vet,” Mangan said.
The World Health Organisation also issued a statement on January 29 saying that there was not yet any evidence showing that pets can be infected with the coronavirus. But it urged pet owners to wash their hands with soap to prevent pet-related pathogens from spreading.
However, according to a story in the South China Morning Post on March 5, a spokesperson of the Agriculture, Fisheries and Conservation Department said the pet dog of a Covid-19 patient in Hong Kong tested for a low level of infection but showed no symptoms. Some experts said blood test results are needed for confirmation of human-to-animal transmission of the disease.
While there is no evidence that an infected pet can infect other pets, the department said pets of infected owners should also be quarantined at its facility.
