By Tanni Deb
Whether on YouTube or a social media platform, posts of dogs and cats in masks still appear—but health authorities advise against masking pets. Guidance from the CDC and AVMA is consistent: do not put masks on animals; if you are ill, limit close contact with pets and practice hand hygiene. Early news trackers, including two million individuals across 180 countries, focused on human spread; by 2025 the evidence base is clear for pets: cats, ferrets, and hamsters can catch SARS‑CoV‑2 from infected owners, most illnesses in pets are mild, and pets are not significant drivers of human transmission (CDC One Health; WOAH). Importantly, there are no authorized or licensed COVID‑19 vaccines for companion animals (dogs/cats) in the U.S., Canada, U.K., or EU, and routine vaccination of pets is not recommended (USDA APHIS; CFIA; UK Government; AVMA).
Which Animals Have Caught COVID-19 in the U.S.?
On April 24, a family in North Carolina discovered that their pug caught the coronavirus—one of the earliest pet reports in the U.S. Since then, U.S. animal health surveillance has confirmed infections across multiple species, predominantly household cats and dogs exposed to infected owners. The USDA APHIS dashboard documents hundreds of laboratory‑confirmed pet and zoo animal cases cumulatively since 2020 across 40+ states, with new confirmations occurring at a much lower cadence in 2024–2025; most pet illnesses have been mild and self‑limited (USDA APHIS dashboard; WOAH).
On April 22, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) reported the first confirmed cases of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) in U.S. pet cats as linked to exposure to infected people. That remains the pattern today: pets acquire infection from household members, and most show mild or no symptoms; veterinary testing is considered case‑by‑case in consultation with public health authorities (CDC One Health; USDA APHIS One Health).
Additionally, on April 5, federal officials announced that a 4-year-old tiger at New York’s Bronx Zoo was the first known infected animal in the U.S. Six additional tigers and lions in the zoo also became ill. Since then, zoos have reported occasional cases in susceptible species (e.g., big cats, nonhuman primates), typically linked to human exposure and managed with staff PPE, biosecurity, and, in some institutions, veterinary vaccines designed for zoo species—not for pets (WOAH; AVMA). There are no licensed COVID‑19 vaccines for household dogs or cats in the U.S., Canada, U.K., or EU (USDA APHIS; CFIA; UK Government).
Has the Coronavirus Infected Any Other Dogs or Cats?
While the coronavirus is primarily transmitted between people, infections have been documented in pets worldwide after close contact with infected owners—most often cats and, less commonly, dogs; ferrets and hamsters are also susceptible. Illness in pets is usually mild, and pets are not considered significant drivers of human transmission (WOAH; WHO). Current evidence shows species susceptibility has not fundamentally changed with newer variants; human‑to‑pet transmission predominates (CDC One Health).
In the Chinese city of Wuhan, ground zero of COVID-19, researchers tested other outbreak regions.” Early cat studies and serosurveys suggested owner-to-pet transmission; today, surveillance efforts emphasize wildlife reservoirs—especially free‑ranging white‑tailed deer in North America—where ongoing exposure and viral evolution have been observed through interagency programs (USDA APHIS One Health and wildlife surveillance).
Can Pets Spread the Virus to Other Animals?
A group of researchers at viral RNA” in their upper respiratory tracts and cat‑to‑cat transmission under experimental conditions, with exposed cats developing antibodies to SARS‑CoV‑2. These findings align with field observations that cats are more susceptible than dogs, and that transmission among cats can occur in close‑contact settings; however, most natural pet infections remain mild (CDC One Health).
The researchers conducted similar experiments on other animals and found that SARS-CoV-2 can affect ferrets for a little more than a week without causing a major disease or death. Additionally, they discovered that “dogs have low susceptibility,” while livestock such as chickens, ducks and pigs are not vulnerable to the virus at all. Subsequent surveillance through 2025 indicates that the set of susceptible companion species has not fundamentally expanded with newer variants; Omicron‑lineage viruses have shown better compatibility with some rodents, and field detections have included urban rats, but pets continue to experience mostly mild disease and do not drive human spread (mBio 2023; WOAH).
Can Pets Infect Humans With the Coronavirus?
According to the CDC and USDA, there is currently no evidence suggesting that animals can spread the coronavirus to humans. However, since the virus can be transmitted from people to animals, the CDC and international partners assess the overall risk from household pets to people as low: rare animal‑to‑human events have been documented mainly in farmed mink, with isolated pet‑associated events (e.g., hamsters; probable cat‑to‑human instances); there is no confirmed dog‑to‑human transmission to date (WOAH; WHO). Risk increases with close, face‑to‑face contact during a pet’s brief infectious window; if you are sick, avoid cuddling, kissing, sharing food, or sleeping in the same bed with pets, wash hands before/after interactions, and have another household member provide care when possible. Do not put masks on animals or use disinfectants/hand sanitizer on pets (CDC). Routine vaccination of pets against COVID‑19 is not recommended, and there are no licensed COVID‑19 vaccines for dogs or cats in the U.S., Canada, U.K., or EU (AVMA; USDA APHIS; CFIA; UK Government).
How to Prepare Pets for a Quarantine
Even if you are not sick, reduce respiratory risk for pets by practicing everyday hygiene and avoiding unnecessary contact with people or animals outside your household when community transmission is high. If you are isolating with COVID‑19, keep cats indoors; walk dogs on a leash and avoid crowded areas or dog parks until your isolation ends. Never mask pets, and do not apply disinfectants or hand sanitizer to animals; use only pet‑safe shampoos as needed (CDC). U.S. and international surveillance now emphasizes wildlife reservoirs (notably white‑tailed deer), while pet detections continue at low levels (USDA APHIS One Health).
Individuals who are quarantined in an apartment with their dogs may have to train their pet to use the infectious diseases. Adjust feeding, exercise, and elimination routines to minimize contact with others, and consider enrichment (puzzle feeders, scent games) to maintain mental stimulation while indoors. If persistent cough, lethargy, or labored breathing develops after known exposure, call your veterinarian for guidance before visiting the clinic (AVMA).
According to the People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA), make sure to have two weeks’ worth of food and treats, as well as litter if you have a cat. If your companion friend is a gerbil, a hamster, a rabbit or a guinea pig, stock up on fresh produce for them. Additionally, along with any prescription medication, it’s a good idea to have preventive medication for ticks and fleas for your dog or cat, as these parasites can carry other diseases that can spread to pets and humans. Maintain routine veterinary care, including year‑round parasite prevention and core vaccinations (rabies; distemper/parvo for dogs; panleukopenia/herpes/calicivirus for cats) (CAPC; AHS; WSAVA 2023). Do not seek COVID‑19 vaccination for pets—none are licensed for dogs or cats—and never use human COVID‑19 vaccines in animals (CDC; USDA APHIS).
Lastly, keep your pet engaged and entertained with games, which can also help them get some kind of exercise at home. Hide food inside toys or under mats, play hide-and-seek or create an obstacle course using household items – like boxes – that your pets can crawl through. For smoke or poor air quality days, improve indoor air (clean‑air room, filtration) and reduce exertion; do not use masks on pets because they don’t fit or filter effectively and can impair breathing (UC Davis Vet Med).
While it’s essential to keep your pets active and happy, it’s more crucial to keep them safe. Treat pets as part of your household infection‑control plan: if you are sick, limit close contact; practice hand hygiene; never put masks on pets; and follow veterinary advice if animals become ill after exposure. The bottom line from current One Health surveillance is reassuring—pets can catch COVID‑19 from people but rarely transmit it back, new pet/zoo detections in 2024–2025 have been infrequent, wildlife (notably deer) show ongoing but shifting exposure, and simple precautions at home are effective (CDC One Health; USDA APHIS dashboard; WOAH).
