No need to treat pets any differently
WE’VE long known that some animals – including lions, tigers, and the cats with whom we share our homes – can catch the coronavirus, so it shouldn’t come as a surprise that a case has been detected in the UK.
But don’t let the news scare you. Despite over 16 million human cases worldwide, only a handful of cats have tested positive, and there’s no evidence that companion animals can transmit the virus to humans.
There’s no need to treat your animal companions any differently from usual, although a few simple measures will help keep everybody safe.
The animals you live with are members of your household, and social distancing rules apply to them, too: for example, avoid letting your dog run up to strangers in the park.
An infected person who strokes your cat or dog can leave the virus in their fur in the same way that they can contaminate a door handle, another human hand, or any other surface. If you aren’t shaking someone’s hand, that person shouldn’t be stroking your cat or dog, either.
If you’re self-isolating with symptoms, don’t just limit your contact with human family members.
Extend that courtesy to your animal companions, too – while still making sure they are properly cared for – to protect them from becoming infected.
Samantha Saunders,
People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals.
Good to see famous pioneer on city film
I HAVE watched the short promotional film produced for Coventry UK City of Culture 2021 and was pleased to see Delia Derbyshire in there as she is one of Coventry’s most famous daughters and a pioneer of electronic music including arranging the Doctor Who theme at the BBC Radiophonic Workshop back in 1963.
P. Sheehan, Coventry.