An Update from Blue Cross on Coronavirus and Pets

Understandably during this worrying time, a lot of pet owners have queries about coronavirus in pets and need advice about caring for their pets in the current situation. Blue Cross experts have been working with other animal organisations to provide answers to questions people have around coronavirus (Covid-19) and pets. I hope you find the following links helpful and answer any queries you might have.

The Blue Cross website page dedicated to information around pets and coronavirus can be found here:  https://www.bluecross.org.uk/pet-advice/coronavirus (short link is https://bit.ly/2JzZQMW

Here you can find information about coronavirus in different species, including guidance around taking your pet outside/walking your dog, taking your pet to the vet, and also advice and ideas around enrichment, exercise and wellbeing for your pet while you are social distancing or self-isolating (Indoor games for pets: https://bit.ly/2UzvqRq, Indoor games for dogs: https://bit.ly/3bOvPF9). There is also the option to sign up to the Blue Cross free coronavirus update emails, and they will send you the latest news and tips about how to manage the Covid-19 outbreak with your pets.

Social distancing and self-isolation can upset our mental health, though our pets can be of huge benefit to our wellbeing and help cope with stress and loneliness. They’ve created some videos, which they also hope will help, and ‘Thirty seconds of calm’ videos can be found on the Blue Cross Facebook page (including themes of mental wellbeingkitten cam and bonding with your pet). You can also keep up to date with Blue Cross on theirTwitter page (where they have posts relating to and bonding with your pet and stroking cats helping with anxiety).

Rehoming

The Blue Cross continues to focus all their efforts during this time on the welfare of the pets in their care at their centres and through their foster carers. Unfortunately, due to the Covid-19 virus, they have fewer team members to look after the pets in their care and so need to ensure that these are kept to manageable numbers. They are really pleased to share that they have adapted their usual rehoming process to be able to rehome pets in their care who are ready. The new process ensures the safety of their customers, their teams and the welfare of their pets, while meeting the government’s social distancing guidelines. As such, they are now able to accept applications for a small number of pets including horses. 

They continue to be temporarily closed to new admissions, apart from pets admitted via their hospitals or their Pets into Care scheme, who they will do everything they can to accommodate.  

Once the lockdown is lifted and they get to a manageable number of pets in their care for the lower levels of people in work to look after them, they will re-open admissions and rehome pets most in need where they are safely able to do so.  

Veterinary

They have put in place temporary measures for some of their services while ensuring that they continue to provide emergency patient consultations at their veterinary hospitals. They are continuing to support their clients with telephone and online consultations.

Education and pet bereavement

As their Education Team is unable to carry out its usual visits to schools, clubs and youth groups, they are providing a virtual service with online talks. They are creating materials that parents and teachers can use while the country’s children are homeschooled, and these will be available soon on their website. Their Pet Bereavement Support Service remains open by email or phone.

Shops

Their shops are currently closed.