Dear Pet Parents,
Below you will find goodluckpetshome.com’s recommendations for looking after your pet during the COVID-19 pandemic. As dog lovers at heart, we want to make sure that you and your pup maintain as healthy a lifestyle as possible while observing current mandates for social distancing.
Maintain Effective Hygiene
Rigorous and frequent hand washing will help limit the transmission of the virus, which primarily occurs via contact with a contaminated surface. Due to its porosity, pet fur is not considered to be an effective surface for holding or transmitting the virus. However, it’s best to play it safe and limit contact between your dog and other individuals—and remember to refrain from petting any pups you may see as well.
How can I prepare my pet for the COVID-19 pandemic?
Should quarantine be required, prepare your pet just as you would prepare your family. This includes stocking up on a 2-4 week supply of food, medications (don’t forget subscription medications), litter and other supplies. Learn more about pet safety in emergencies.
Make sure your pet’s medical records, vaccines, and preventative medications (tick, flea, internal parasites) are up to date in the event you cannot care for them and need to board your pet.
Practice good hygiene during interactions with your pet (wash hands before and after interacting with your pet; ensure your pet is kept well-groomed and is bathed on a weekly basis; regularly clean your pet’s food and water bowls, bedding material, and toys).
If you are not ill with COVID-19, you can interact with your pet as you normally would, including walking, feeding, and playing.
Do not share dishes, drinking glasses, cups, eating utensils, towels, or bedding with other people or pets in your home. Additional guidance on managing pets in homes where people are sick with COVID-19 is available from the CDC.
Is it true that pet ownership has health benefits? And can they help during this stressful time?
Yes, there are many known examples of human health being positively affected by owning a pet, such interacting and/or exercising with an animal can help decrease blood pressure, cholesterol levels, and triglyceride levels. Pets can be a wonderful support for us, especially during trying times such as extended periods of “sheltering in place.” Pets can also help manage loneliness and depression with their companionship, especially for seniors or other individuals who have less opportunity to socialize with others.
How can we maintain our pets’ health during the COVID-19 pandemic?
One of the best things we can do at this time is to keep ourselves mentally healthy so we provide our pets with a safe, secure environment – follow CDC and local health department guidelines to staying healthy and minimize spread of the disease. Go on walks while maintaining proper physical distancing, throw the ball in the yard, and play with dog toys.
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