About: Recent news story of a pug in the U.S. testing positive for COVID-19

We are aware of the recent news story of a pug in the U.S. testing positive for COVID-19. The
dog lives with a family who first tested positive for COVID-19. We are concerned about the
health and safety of our employees, clients, and pets. We did our research, and we feel it is safe
to continue operating dog daycare and boarding with our new Workplace Preparedness Plan
implemented. The CDC, the World Health Organization, the World Organization for Animal
Health, and other public health bodies and experts agree on this: There’s no evidence that
animals transmit the virus to humans or have played a role in its spread. Our Safety Plan
includes measures to check the health of each employee upon arrival for each shift. We
continue to request clients who have a COVID-19 positive person in their household not bring
their dog to our facility. The following information taken from the CDC website (4/30/2020)
also helped us make our decision.

Can I get COVID-19 from my pets or other animals?
At this time, there is no evidence that animals play a significant role in spreading the virus that causes
COVID-19. Based on the limited information available to date, the risk of animals spreading COVID-19 to
people is considered to be low.  A small number of pets have been reported to be infected with the virus
that causes COVID-19, mostly after contact with people with COVID-19.

Can animals carry the virus that causes COVID-19 on their skin or fur?
Although we know certain bacteria and fungi can be carried on fur and hair, there is no evidence that
viruses, including the virus that causes COVID-19, can spread to people from the skin, fur, or hair of pets.
However, because animals can sometimes carry other germs that can make people sick, it’s always a
good idea to practice healthy habits around pets and other animals, including washing hands before and
after interacting with them.

Click the following link for the AVMA’s Interim Recommendations where households have
a human with COVID-19: https://www.avma.org/resources-tools/animal-health-and-welfare/covid-19/interim-recommendations-intake-companion-animals-households-humans-COVID-19-are-present