Is It Okay For People to Pet My Dog During The COVID-19 Pandemic?

Is It Okay For People to Pet My Dog During The COVID-19 Pandemic?

Wash your hands regularly and maintain social distance. Those are the two most important rules to stay safe from the novel coronavirus. But you will realize that this is easier said than done.

People just can’t resist the urge to pet dogs, especially if you have a fluffy pal called Rooster that you take out for a walk every morning. That is the nightmare Rooster’s dad, Chris Temple, has to go through every day. He tries to let off people easy about not petting his dog but it’s a hard thing to do.

The other day he turned down a young girl trying to pet Rooster and the site of her running back to her mom, heartbroken had him questioning if he is doing the right thing. But let’s look at the bigger picture. Allowing strangers to pet your dog puts both of you at risk. The virus has not severe on dogs but if they have a preexisting condition then they are at risk. There is also the possibility that the dog could contract the virus and then spread it to the clearly vulnerable humans.

And then to matters relating to petting…

When strangers get too close to your dog and then rub their hands all over the dog’s body, they could be planting viral droplets on his body. So, you shouldn’t feel guilty about blocking strangers from petting your dog. But, we are still in a pandemic and it’s a hard time for everybody. Don’t underestimate the release that stranger gets with just those two minutes with your dogs. We are also not sure when the virus is going away. You can’t completely isolate yourself. You need to socialize and your dog needs to socialize. The best thing you can do is be honest about your fears. People will understand when you talk to them.

Feature Image Source: Pixabay

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