(CN) Owners dumping their small furry friends

[Guest guest]

South China Morning Post

Monday, May 5, 2003

 

THE FIGHTBACK AGAINST SARS

Owners dumping their small furry friends

 

HEIKE PHILLIPS

 

Panicked pet owners are abandoning animals such as rabbits and

hamsters and inundating animal shelters with requests to put down their cats

and dogs because of fears they may be Sars carriers.

 

The Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (SPCA), which has

been monitoring calls from concerned pet owners for the past few weeks, said

almost a third of all inquiries fielded by the centre related to Sars.

 

The number of strays found by inspectors or turned in by members of

the public, meanwhile, had soared by as much as 30 per cent from February to

March.

 

" Many people are asking us to take their animals [because] they are

worried they are at risk of getting Sars from their pets, " said Pauline

Taylor, the society's acting executive director.

 

" But this is just groundless panic and hysteria. There is no proven or

suggested relationship between companion animal ownership and an increased

risk of contracting atypical pneumonia, and no evidence to suggest that

companion animals are involved in the transmission of the disease. "

 

She said the SPCA refused to take in animals on the basis that their

owners were concerned about atypical pneumonia, but people were quick to

make up another reason.

 

" We are very concerned to help people understand what we know about

the virus and help them better manage their pets' hygiene, " she added.

 

However, not all inquiries were negative. " Some people were more

concerned about their pets catching Sars and wanted us to board their

animals, basically putting them in quarantine, " she said. " We advise them

the best place for their pets is in their tender care. "

 

Dr Taylor said small, furry animals seemed to be causing the highest

degree of concern.

 

" We have found many waif rabbits and hamsters in the streets in their

cages, which is highly unusual, and most of the calls we are getting are

about these pets. People are worried the virus will be caught in their fur, "

she said.

 

While pets could act as vectors for the virus, this was no different

to the virus being left on doorknobs or lift buttons.

 

Pets' feet should be washed after public walks, but there was no need

for them to wear masks.

 

heike.phillips