Once again, the fates of humans affects so much more than just us. Coronavirus has put pet shelters into emergency mode. The bad news is that pet shelters are so understaffed that their intake of pets is greatly reduced. The good news is that people are stepping up across the country to adopt and foster pets and take virtual tours to get to know animals. The adoption and fostering of animals is actually up, but then again, pet shelters can’t keep a regular turnover of animals, so stray animals will be adversely affected by this crisis.

Even though adoptions are up, there have been fears about people dumping their pets by the side of the road because of coronavirus fears. As well as being unconscionable, this is completely uninformed. First, there’s the moral failure of abandoning an animal that is dependent on you. If you wouldn’t abandon a relative in your household, you should not abandon a pet. Even if pets were able to spread coronavirus, it’s possible to practice adequate social distancing by keeping them indoors or being careful when you exercise them.

However, there is absolutely no evidence right now that companion animals like dogs and cats can transmit the virus. Though two dogs tested positive for Covid-19, this says nothing about their ability to spread the virus. Testing on animals does reveal a huge tragedy though – the death of pigs and other industrially farmed animals from coronavirus or related illnesses. Pigs have similarities to humans that make them the animals most likely to contract or spread coronavirus. Our insistence on industrially farming animals for meat is the reason for the tragic death of pigs in their huge numbers in this quiet and unreported pandemic.

One way you can protect animals is to stay informed and correct the spread of egregious misinformation that endangers animals. Practicing social distancing with pets and encouraging others to do the same is something else you can do. In many states you can adopt or foster pets and meet them virtually before you pick them up. You can also encourage vegan eating and continue to reject and fight against the hegemony of industrial farming and demand better treatment for all animals.

Read More:

https://www.deseret.com/utah/2020/3/27/21194027/coronavirus-covid-19-animal-shelters-foster-pets

usatoday.com/story/entertainment/celebrities/2020/03/27/animal-adoptions-shelters-get-creative-pair-parents-pets-amid-coronavirus/2907199001/

https://phys.org/news/2020-03-animals-vulnerable-covid-.html

Ohio has joined a number of states who have made the shelter pet the state’s official animal. This is designed to raise awareness of how to do pet adoption in a way that is better for animals. The untold misery caused by puppy mills is something that is at odds with the image of a cute, new puppy. The animals packed into overcrowded shelters and euthanized before they can find a home are the hidden tragedies behind the choice to buy within the pet industry.

Many people don’t realize that the pet they buy from the store is the substitute for an animal in a shelter that loses their life. Many pets are euthanized at animal shelters as the shelters can’t cope with the numbers of abandoned pets. This is a move that shines a public light on the problem of shelter animals. After the publicity fades people need to remind friends and neighbors that there is only one responsible way to get a pet – adopt from an animal shelter.

Puppy mills are a particularly cruel alternative to shelter adoption. Adult dogs are kept purely for breeding at puppy mills and often killed when they are no longer viable. Puppies are treated as “farmed” animals and are kept in poor conditions. You can read more about puppy mills on The Humane Society’s website, and also about how to support the WOOF Act, a law that would defend against cruel puppy mills renewing their USDA license. https://www.humanesociety.org/all-our-fights/stopping-puppy-mills