Veterinarian Says It’s Unlikely People Can Give Pets Coronavirus

If you do come down with the virus, you're encouraged to avoid contact with your pets because the virus can live on the surface of the animal just like the surface of a door handle, which could infect other people.

TWIN PORTS – Animal experts tell us it’s highly unlikely that your pet will catch the COVID-19 strain of the coronavirus.

Dr. Bob McClellan at Superior Animal Hospital says illnesses usually spread species to species.

While there are some illnesses that spread from pet to human, you don’t have to worry about respiratory viruses like coronavirus doing that.

“There’s lots of questions about these respiratory infections certainly in dogs and cats actually, and the interesting thing is with viruses that most of the time they’re fairly species specific,” said Dr. Bob McClellan.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention says there’s no evidence showing the COVID-19 strain of coronavirus can transmit from humans to dogs and cats, or vice versa.

But if you do come down with the virus, you’re encouraged to avoid contact with your pets because the virus can live on the surface of the animal just like the surface of a door handle, which could infect other people.