Don’t Abandon Pets Because Of Coronavirus: Odisha Govt

Bhubaneswar: The Odisha government on Thursday appealed to people not to abandon their pets or inflict unnecessary pain to animals due to fear of spread of the coronavirus disease (COVID-19).

The Odisha Fisheries & Animal Resources Development (FARD) Department has directed all the Chief District Veterinary Officers to create awareness among animal owners about WHO clarification that dogs and cats are not involved in spreading the infection.

The current spread of COVID-19 is a result of human to human transmission, Fisheries and ARD secretary R. Raghu Prasad said in his letter, while pointing at recent cases where some animal owners and pet owners had abandoned their animals without proper food, water and shelter.

“However, it is always advisable to practice healthy habits around pets and other animals by washing hands after coming in contact with the animals, maintaining hygiene and cleaning up pets properly,” he added.