Impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on animals

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Dogs are capable of becoming infected with COVID-19. They are also capable of cheering up lonely caretakers during lockdowns.

The COVID-19 pandemic has affected animals directly and indirectly. SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes COVID-19, is zoonotic, which likely to have originated from animals such as bats and pangolins.^[1][2][3] Human impact on wildlife and animal habitats may be causing such spillover events to become much more likely.^[4][5] The largest incident to date was the culling of 14 to 17 million mink in Denmark after it was discovered that they were infected with a mutant strain of the virus.^[6][7]

While research is inconclusive, pet owners reported that their animals contributed to better mental health and lower loneliness during COVID-19 lockdowns.^[8][9] However, this could have adverse effects on pet animals.^[10]

Background[]

SARS-CoV-2 is believed to have zoonotic origins and has close genetic similarity to bat coronaviruses, suggesting it emerged from a bat-borne virus.^{[11][12][13][14]}

Cases[]

A small number of pet animals have been infected. There have been several cases of zoo animals testing positive for the virus, and some became sick. Cats, dogs, ferrets, fruit bats, gorillas, hamsters, minks, sea otters, pumas, snow leopards, tigers, tree shrews and whitetail deer can be infected with and have tested positive at least once for the virus.^[3] According to the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the risk of transmission from animals to humans and vice versa is considerably low but further studies are yet to be conducted.^[3] Mice were initially unsusceptible but researchers showed that a type of mutation (called aromatic substitution in position 501 or position 498 but not both) in the SARS-CoV-2 virus spike protein can mouse-adapt the novel Coronavirus.^[15]

Animal deaths due to the disease are confirmed to have occurred.^[16]

Asiatic lions[]

The Nehru Zoological Park reported that eight Asiatic lions have contracted the virus. The samples were taken on March 24, 2021, after the lions showed signs of respiratory distress.^[17]

Gorillas[]

In January 2021, a troop of eight gorillas at the San Diego Zoo Safari Park tested positive for COVID-19 after being infected by a zookeeper who was asymptomatic. The gorillas were the first confirmed and known cases of COVID-19 in apes.^[18]

Minks[]

White minks on a farm in Poland

Cluster 5, a variant of SARS-CoV-2, was found in mink populations and some employees in North Jutland, Denmark in early November 2020. The Danish government culled an estimated 14 million mink as a preventive measure.^[19][20] A wild mink in Utah was discovered to be infected with COVID-19, confirmed by the U.S. Department of Agriculture.^[21]

Snow leopards[]

A unvaccinated 9-year-old male snow leopard at the San Diego Zoo tested positive for the coronavirus in late July 2021. The staff noticed the leopard had a cough and a runny nose. The caretakers confirmed the diagnosis with two separate stool tests.^[18]

Human–animal interaction[]

Reduced human presence has the potential to bring both relief and disruption to different animal habitats. It may lead to more poaching of endangered wildlife.^[22] Wild animals have been observed relaxing their avoidance of human habitats while COVID-19 lockdowns are in effect,^[23] and with instances like severe mouse plague co-occurring with mouse-adapted SARS-CoV-2 virus variants circulating.^[15]

Decreased roadkill incidence has been reported during lockdowns, including a significant decrease in roadkill deaths for mountain lions in California.^[24]

References[]

External links[]

• Grant, Brianna (15 December 2020). How the COVID-19 pandemic impacts animals. Humane Society of the United States