Pet owners worry that furry friends could contract coronavirus

The Cummings School of Veterinary Medicine at Tufts University announced Monday that reports of experimental studies show ferrets, cats, and dogs can be infected with the new coronavirus when exposed to high levels of it.

Christine Daigle is worried that Trooper, her five-year-old German Shepherd dog, could catch the new coronavirus.

She shared her concern while walking the pooch in Framingham on Monday morning, one day after the U.S. Department of Agriculture announced that a tiger at the Bronx Zoo in New York City tested positive for COVID-19. Officials believe the tiger caught it from an infected zookeeper.

Currently, there are are no reported cases of pets becoming sick with COVID-19 in the U.S., according to government and public health officials.

Still, the Department of Agriculture urges anyone sick with COVID-19 to restrict contact with animals out of an abundance of caution until more is known about the new coronavirus. When possible, have someone else care for the pet. If no one is available to step in, then wear a face mask, limit interactions, and wash hands frequently.

As for pets spreading the virus to humans, there is no evidence of that in the U.S., according to infectious disease experts and animal health organizations.