Pet Stores and Coronavirus

[Alpha8472]

Two cats in New York have tested positive for coronavirus.

Have you seen how many people bring their pets into pet stores? I have seen many people bring their pets into places such as Walmart including pet cats, birds, and numerous "service dogs" including pit bulls.

Now these animals are carriers of this disease and they do not wear masks.

Is it time to ban service cats? I think pet stores should ban all pets immediately. Or at least have a 6 foot rule between humans and animals.

[klkla]

Good question, but we probably need more information about this.

"While officials said they are still learning about the virus, they noted that there is no evidence that pets play a role in spreading it."

https://www.nbcnews.com/news/us-news/tw ... 9-n1189841

[storewanderer]

The only store I've ever seen cats inside is a pet store. But I see numerous dogs inside numerous grocery stores. Many do not have the proper service dog vest on but it has come to the point most stores will not question people who bring dogs in because they go crazy when questioned. A lot of signs have been posted in my area last summer as it was getting really common to see dogs in stores (signs got posted at most of the grocers around town due to health department orders) which I think has helped deter people from bringing dogs into grocery stores.

Pets should not be allowed in any store where raw food like produce or meat is being sold. It is unsanitary. Pets can get flus every season and this is a potential risk that the pets are brought into a store that are sick and will spread the flu to other innocent pets in the store. It isn't just a risk during Coronavirus time.

The laws allowing service animals have to be honored and many people take advantage of that to bring non service animals into the stores. What they fail to understand is they are putting their pets in harm's way if they expose their pet to another sick pet.

It is much harder to prevent pet to pet interaction in a retail store with limited space and narrow aisles than it is out on the street when walking a dog, when you can easily run across the street or temporarily go into a driveway to avoid a direct interaction between two dogs.

[Brian Lutz]

A lot of the chain pet stores (particularly PetSmart) have veterinary clinics inside the store which would still be operating as essential businesses, so banning animals from the stores entirely would not be feasible. That said, the PetSmart here has closed its grooming salon, and there are no adoptable cats in the store currently either. When we visited earlier this week (one of our cats needed to go to the vet) there were still a couple of people bringing dogs into the store, but in general traffic was low, and social distancing was being observed. I suppose they could limit pets in the store to those going to the vet only, but didn't see any particular restrictions to that effect. The clinic seemed to be operating short-staffed though, presumably to meet social distancing requirements.

[Alpha8472]

Several dogs and cats have tested positive. Doctors are saying that dogs should avoid dpg parks and contact with other dogs. Cats must be kept indoors and dogs must be on leashes when on walks.

Dogs and cats cannot tell their owners that they are feeling sick or are short of breath. A single infected dog or cat could crawl all over a store leaving virus particles everywhere. They do not wear masks, so they are spreading this airborne virus. Pet stores need to post signs telling people that dogs and cats can catch coronavirus from other animals. Pets should be left at home and not be brought out to possibly catch or spread the disease.

Pets should be banned unless they are there to see the vet. They should not be allowed to run through the store leaving saliva and whatever else all over the place. This is a public safety hazard. Coronavirus is present in human waste. It is also present in dog feces. There is no difference. The virus is the same. This is a danger to us all.

[storewanderer]

I wouldn't ban animals from pet stores, I meant food stores specifically. Pet stores with grooming, etc. obviously will have animals going in and out.

In about 1992 when Petsmart opened in my area I remember going in and thinking how "far out" it was that pets were allowed in a retail store. Back then the concept of a person taking a pet into a grocery store, drug store, etc. was completely unheard of and not socially acceptable. How times change.

Most pet stores sell live animals (rabbits and mice and things) in cages anyway.

Some years there have been a lot of pet flu cases and some vet clinics will not let a pet in until they screen the pet. I believe at this point in my area the majority of the independent vet clinics are having customers park their car outside then they come to the car and get the pet (and leave the owner out in the car as they are trying to prevent contact between the vet employees and the owner in the small exam rooms) then collect payment right in the parking lot for the service as well. This does not seem like an optimal arrangement for the pet. Without the owner accompanying the pet inside, the pet may think the owner is abandoning them there at the vet and have a panic attack at the worst or not cooperate for the vet.

[reymann]

i wouldn't be surprised if petsmart changes the rules where pets with appointments would only be allowed in the store or even possibly require customers to remain in the car and have an employee check the pet in curbside.

[TW-Upstate NY]

We have a Runnings store here in the area and they feature "pets welcome" prominently in their advertising. They also include they need to be "well behaved" and for the most part people observe that but as you say all it takes is one to get a little rambunctious and you have a huge problem. Honestly with current events being what they are pets of any kind should not be allowed anywhere near any retail establishment because as is pointed out they could be carriers and leaving it all over everything they come in contact with. Unfortunately though, sometimes telling a person their pet is not allowed somewhere is like telling them their children are not allowed. People get beyond upset and tend to cause a scene when they're told no even though it's the right thing for everybody concerned including their pets.

[cjd]

Personally aside from pet stores, the whole bringing pets into retail establishment is out of hand. This is just my opinion and I am sure others will strongly disagree.

It was always against health codes to bring a pet into any store with food, be it a restaurant, grocery store, Walmart, etc. It shouldn't have ever become allowed going by that alone. The only reason it is somewhat allowed is because pet owners woudl get their feelings hurt and cause a big uproar on social media or word of mouth if they were turned away because they had their pet with them.

They should not be allowed in stores, and the whole emotional support excuse is silly.

That said, it is better to have the pets in a conditioned environment if the only alternative would be to leave them in a hot or cold vehicle.

But I still think the whole pets in stores (in most cases) is simply just a bully issue. If a restaurant will get a health violation for having pets inside, pet owners have no right to bully said restaurant for disallowing them. If they have an issue they need to take it up with the local or state authorities who have set the rules.

[TW-Upstate NY]

But I still think the whole pets in stores (in most cases) is simply just a bully issue.

I was waiting for somebody to frame the issue in that manner and I'll tell you what-I couldn't agree more. I've mentioned on here a few times I'm retired from the Post Office. I was a city carrier for over 32 years and I had more than my share of encounters with dogs and their owners and honestly I think it was easier to deal with the dogs than the owners sometimes. Most, but not all pet owners, have the attitude that their pets can do no wrong and it's always someone else's fault if they misbehave in some way.