One of the most critical pieces of your pet’s emergency kit is ensuring you have an emergency pet caregiver, and a back-up caregiver, in case you become too ill to care for your pet or if you are hospitalized.
If you do become ill with COVID-19 or another illness during this time, and can still properly care for your pet, the best solution is keeping your pet in your home with you while taking extra precautions. While the CDC has no evidence that companion animals, including pets, can spread COVID-19 to people or that they might be a source of infection in the United States, they are aware of a very small number of pets outside the United States to be infected with the virus that causes COVID-19 after close contact with people with COVID-19.*
Take the time today to talk with a potential caregiver and a back-up caregiver in case your go-to becomes ill. Screenshot the image below on your phone, fill it in, and make the ask right now!
Here at the Atlanta Humane Society, we’ve also been putting together special “Will you be My Pet’s Furry Godparent?” boxes and doing virtual unboxings for them via video chat while we’re at home.
Check out what we’ve been putting in our emergency caregiver boxes and remember, it’s always important to have an emergency caregiver in place for your pet- all year-round and for all emergency situations.[/vc_column_text]
Ensuring your pet has a caregiver is just one of the steps you need to take right now to ensure your pet is prepared in case of emergency. Be sure to check out our pet preparedness site and download your pet’s emergency checklist so your pet is ready in case of emergency.And, as always, if you have any questions, our COVID-19 Pet Hotline is here for you 7 days a week from 9 a.m. – 5 p.m.
*This page was last updated on Tuesday, April 7 at 3:16 p.m.
We’re doing our best to keep this page updated with the most accurate information from the CDC. You can visit the CDC’s website for complete information regarding your pet and COVID-19.