With many questions still swirling around on how to best keep people safe from contracting and spreading COVID-19, many pet parents are raising concerns over how to care for their beloved animals during this unprecedented time.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has recommended if someone is believed to be sick, they should self-quarantine to avoid people and animals.

“You should restrict contact with pets and other animals while you are sick with COVID-19, just like you would around other people,” the CDC states in its “What To Do If You Are Sick” guide, https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/if-you-are-sick/steps-when-sick.html.

The CDC advises that when a person is sick, they need to avoid “petting, snuggling, being kissed or licked, and sharing food” with pets.

If a sick person must care for animals in their household, the CDC is urging pet interaction be done after the person has washed their hands and put on a facemask.

These precautions should be taken, as it cannot be confirmed at this time that there is no risk of the virus being transmitted from person to animal.

Last month, the Hong Kong government announced that a woman who was hospitalized after testing positive for COVID-19 had a dog who also tested positive but with a “low level” coronavirus infection. On February 26, the dog was quarantined and on March 13 The Washington Post reported that the dog received a recent blood test that came back negative for the virus.

While the dog remains quarantined, the World Health Organization (WHO) states there is no current evidence that coronavirus in dogs can spread to humans.

Local Vet Care

As of Monday, March 16, veterinary offices in Newtown remained opened and continued to help animals in need. Some have begun taking additional precautions amid the COVID-19 pandemic.

Berkshire Veterinary Hospital, 1 Toddy Hill Road, is currently keeping its regular hours, communicating with clients over the phone, and taking appointments and emergency cases.

Kasia Guzy, hospital administrator, said on March 17, “As of now, we are limiting person-to-person interaction and admitting patients to the hospital, [and] we ask the clients to remain in the cars as we take care of the pets. We ask the clients to limit unnecessary visitations while we focus on taking care of the sick animals. We request that clients call us upon arrival from the car so we can come out and take the cat or dog inside.”

As for the staff, any member of the vet practice who is a student in high school or college is asked to stay home.

The facility is being cleaned several times a day, per usual, and Guzy said, "We are very well prepared, and we are here for people."

For more information about Berkshire Veterinary Hospital, call 203-426-4222.

Since last week, Mt Pleasant Hospital for Animals, 119 Mt Pleasant Road, has increased its cleaning practices to every four hours, including disinfecting everything from doorknobs to tables.

Owner Dr Rakesh Vali told The Newtown Bee on Monday that new policies will be going into effect the following day, March 17, that include reducing hours to where only one doctor and one appointment will be scheduled at a time (as opposed to their usual three to four appointments).

Also, the office will be shifting the more routine treatments to a later date, so as to be able to see sick cases sooner.

For more information about Mt Pleasant Hospital for Animals, call 203-426-8585.

Protect the Pets, 98 South Main Street, will not be changing its office hours and will proceed with taking scheduled, as well as walk-in, appointments.

Dr John Robb, owner of Protect the Pets, explained, “We’ve always disinfected between every patient” and the practice will continue to do so using disinfectant strong enough to be able to kill the coronavirus.

Since Protect the Pets is more focused on medicine and not vaccines, he says they will continue to help sick animals in need and do so affordably for people. He plans to only close if mandated by the government.

For more information about Protect the Pets, call 203-690-2866.

Newtown Veterinary Specialists (NVS), 52 Church Hill Road, was not available for comment at the time of the article but shared a letter on its Facebook page on March 16.

It reads, in full, “Dear Valued Clients, To encourage social distancing, we are now requesting that you remain in your car for the duration of your appointment. The doctor will speak with you over the phone.

“Please call the front desk upon arrival (203-270-8387) and provide them with your cell phone number as well as the color/make/model of your car. We will then either meet you at your car to bring your pet inside or meet you at the lobby entrance. Thank you for your understanding, NVS Management.”

NVS also posted a list of measures it is taking concerning the coronavirus. In it, it detailed that they are placing hand sanitizer around the office for clients and staff, disinfecting commonly touched surfaces multiple times a day, are in communication with the staff about best hygiene practices, and are offering curbside triaging.

The list also includes advising people to plan for their pets amid the COVID-19 outbreak by “having a two week supply of food, medication, and sanitary supplies, as well as an identified friend or family member who can help care for your pet if needed.”

For more information about NVS, call 203-270-8387.