I’ve learned this morning that I’ve been quoted by some
media outlets – including publications that have never made any attempt to
contact me – urgently warning dog owners not to let other people pat their
dogs.
I want to be very clear.
Right now, there is no evidence that you can catch Covid-19
from companion animals.
The very small number of animals that have tested
positive have had contact with infected humans.
We know that the virus can live on surfaces like plastic,
steel and cardboard for variable periods.
We do not know if SARS-COV-2 can survive on the coats of
animals, and if so, for how long. If it does survive, there is a chance that a person
could have contact with the virus on the animal’s coat, then touch their own
face. Current information suggests that this presents a very low risk.
