Dear LPG,

I know that it is a bit late in the day, but after more than a month of being closeted in our homes, it occurs that our pets are not really thought to be at risk and they have not really been restricted when it comes to getting out.  Just like everyone else, the older dog owners amongst us have had no choice but to take them out for a walk every day, or have someone do it for them, and cats have always done their own thing. The many cat-flaps in our houses often mean that, when it comes to getting out and about, they are more likely to be able to please themselves when our feline friends feel the urge to mingle with others of their kind. 

I remember being told that pets can’t get Covid-19 but we men-in-the-street have a habit of seeing what we want to see and reading what we want to read. I took another look at what the internet has to say this morning and the message is not that they are immune.

Reports show that most older people who have a dog are more agile because of the walks that their pets need to be accompanied on, and I remember hearing that they cannot catch this virus, which is at least one thing that we pet owners don’t have to worry about, or do we?

It occurs to me that the average person often sees what they want to see when looking at the news items and I remember getting my information on this subject from a friend that I asked about this rather than from checking what the media or experts really had to say. 

For some reason, this morning I found myself taking a look at the internet, and the small print, where most pet experts are saying that it is highly unlikely that a pet could get infected, or pass this illness on, but not impossible. Not that it could never happen.

So, at this relatively late stage in the Coronavirus story, I would just like to remind LPG readers who are also cat, dog and other pet owners, that you can offer your pet too many hugs and cuddles at this time. It is better to keep a bit of distance between you and them, and it is important to wash your hands every time you touch them too.

PK, Forest Hill.

PK shares the internet reasons that inspired this concern…

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