Confusion over billboard advertisements across Mumbai featuring a picture of a dog and bat and advising people to "avoid unprotected contact with live wild and farm animals" in order to prevent the spread of the coronavirus has resulted in hundreds of calls to PETA India from people who fear for the welfare of their companion animals and for that of community dogs and cats. PETA India has issued an urgent advisory clarifying that dogs and cats are not a risk and that any cruelty toward them must be prevented. Dr Manilal Valliyate, CEO and veterinarian at PETA India stated,
The World Health Organization has already declared that there is no evidence that companion animals such as cats and dogs have been infected with or could spread the virus that causes COVID-19. The American Veterinary Medical Association has also stated that multiple international health organisations have indicated that companion animals are not considered at risk for contracting COVID-19. According to a veterinary public health expert, the virus seems well adapted to spread among humans and is therefore unlikely to jump to dogs or cats. Scientific studies also indicate that many types of viruses that infect humans, including the common cold, can't be spread to companion animals, because they have different cell receptors than humans do, which may prevent these viruses from causing an infection.
The group shared scientific expert statements in support of the claim, including the ones below.
Just as the common cold doesn't spread between companion animals and humans, many other viral infections in humans don't find a host in dogs and cats at home or on the streets, as they have different cell receptors, thereby preventing human-borne viruses from causing an infection in them," says PETA India CEO and veterinarian Dr Manilal Valliyate. "During this time of crisis caused by the coronavirus, it is important that we as a society make all efforts to protect our companion and community animals from any potential abuse resulting from the spread of myths.
Here are some tips on keeping companion and community animals safe:
Hong Kong's Agriculture, Fisheries and Conservation Department has now confirmed that the dog in Hong Kong who belonged to a coronavirus patient and tested "weak positive" may have been carrying the virus in the mouth and nose from contact with an infected guardian but showed no clinical signs of illness, demonstrating that dogs and cats are not natural hosts for COVID-19 and do not spread the virus to humans.