Through this reaction we express our deep concern over the statement of the Minister of Health, Mr. Arben Vitia, through which he has instructed citizens who have pets to remove them or be very careful around them.
Initially, let us explain that our organization is aware of the seriousness of the situation with the COVID-19 pandemic, and strongly agrees with the Government’s measures to prevent the spread of the virus, as long as they are based on concrete facts from credible sources such as the WHO and are in accordance with the laws in force in the Republic of Kosovo.
The day before, we, as an organization aware of the situation but also responsive to the work we do, shared a Facebook post with information about coronavirus and companion animals. This informative article was created based on official advice and information from the World Health Organization (WHO), the Global Veterinary Community (WSAVA) and the World Organization for Animal Health (OIE).
All these organizations, in their findings, have concluded that for the time being, there is no risk of companion animals transmitting the COVID-19 virus to humans.
In addition, at a time when Kosovo is facing enormous animal abandonment and large numbers of stray animals, Minister Vitia’s call for abandonment of animals without providing a solution for those animals, besides being illegal, further escalates the problem of stray animals.
In the links below you can find detailed views of the above mentioned organizations.
Our organization’s post: https://animalrights-rks.org/koronavirusi-dhe-kafshet-shoqeruese/
World Health Organization (WHO):
- “While there has been one instance of a dog being infected in Hong Kong, to date, there is no evidence that a dog, cat or any pet can transmit COVID-19.”
https://www.who.int/news-room/q-a-detail/q-a-coronaviruses
World Organization for Animal Health (OIE):
- “The current spread of COVID-19 is a result of human to human transmission. To date, there is no evidence that companion animals can spread the disease. Therefore, there is no justification in taking measures against companion animals which may compromise their welfare.The Veterinary Services of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region of the People’s Republic of China reported to OIE evidence that a dog had tested positive to the COVID-19 virus following close exposure to its owners who were sick with COVID-19. The test, conducted by real time PCR, showed the presence of genetic material from the COVID-19 virus. The dog was not showing any clinical signs of the disease.There is no evidence that dogs play a role in the spread of this human disease or that they become sick. Further studies are needed to understand if and how different animals could be affected by COVID-19 virus. The OIE will continue to provide updates as new information becomes available.
There is no evidence to support restrictions to movement or trade of companion animals.”
Global Veterinary Community (WSAVA):
- “Currently there is limited evidence that companion animals can be infected with SARS-Cov-2 and no evidence that pet dogs or cats canbe a source of infection to other animals or to humans.Although there have not been reports of pets or other animals becoming sick with COVID-19, until we know more, pet owners should avoid contact with animals they are unfamiliar with and always wash their hands before and after they interact with animals.”https://wsava.org/news/highlighted-news/the-new-coronavirus-and-companion-animals-advice-for-wsava-members/