Pets & Coronavirus (from the CDC)

Key Points

• Coronaviruses are a large family of viruses. Some cause illness in people and others cause illness in certain types of animals.

• Coronaviruses that infect animals can become able to infect people, but this is rare.

• We do not know the exact source of the current outbreak of coronavirus disease 2019 .

• We do not have evidence that companion animals, including pets, can spread COVID-19.

• We do not have evidence to suggest that imported animals or animal products imported pose a risk for spreading the 2019 novel coronavirus in the United States.

Coronaviruses are a large family of viruses. Some coronaviruses cause cold-like illnesses in people, while others cause illness in certain types of animals, such as cattle, camels, and bats. Some coronaviruses, such as canine and feline coronaviruses, only infect animals and do not infect humans.

Risk to people

Some coronaviruses that infect animals have become able to infect humans and then spread between people, but this is rare. Severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS) and Middle East respiratory syndrome (MERS) are examples of diseases caused by coronaviruses that originated in animals and spread to people. This is what is suspected to have happened with the virus that caused the current outbreak of COVID-19. However, we do not know the exact source of this virus. Public health officials and partners are working hard to identify the source of COVID-19. The first infections were linked to a live animal market, but the virus is now spreading from person to person. The coronavirus most similar to the virus causing COVID-19 is the one that causes SARS.

At this time, there is no evidence that companion animals, including pets, can spread COVID-19 or that they might be a source of infection in the United States.

Risk from imported animals and animal products

CDC does not have evidence to suggest that i