Several scientific groups worldwide are constantly researching all scientific questions relating to the coronavirus - because Sars-CoV-2 is a new virus that we still have to learn a lot about, even after around 2 years. We would therefore like to urgently point out that, given the current pressure on research, in some cases publications, theories and facts cannot be checked as intensively as usually by the scientific community usually. So it is essential to stay calm first - because every thesis has to prove itself in the scientific discourse over the long term. It can also be the case that information that is lauded as a new fact today will no longer be valid in two weeks' time. We therefore advise you to be careful when dealing with news that spreads quickly on social networks. Because unfortunately there are a lot of half-truths and false information about this topic circulating here.

The most important questions in detail:

Basically, of course, every animal, just like people or objects, e.g. doorknobs, can carry a virus and thus transport it on. An infection from animals to humans and vice versa is very unlikely. Theoretically, this could only happen if the animal had previously been coughed or sneezed on by someone who is sick, for example, and the pathogen is then passed on directly from the animal to another person, who then e.g. after stroking it with his hand touches his or her face.

Which animal species you should put into care in the event of isolation or quarantine depends on the individual case: Your cat, rabbits, birds or other small animals could stay in the case of quarantine or a mild course of the disease in your home - in familiar surroundings and as a support for you. In principle, however, we recommend owners of these pets, out of sheer caution, to avoid close contact with the animal and, if necessary, to take responsibility for the care of an uninfected member of the household. Care should be taken to ensure that the animal does not sleep in bed and that cuddling and licking are avoided.

For dogs and horses, for whose care it is essential to go outside the door, trustworthy care must be guaranteed!

We recommend good preparation: Have an emergency plan ready to ensure that your pet is cared for and looked after during periods of quarantine or isolation.

• Make a preliminary arrangement with 2 to 3 trusted people that can look after your animal in the event of isolation or quarantine.
• Choose people carefully: ideally, friends or acquaintances are already familiar with your animal.
• Should you resort to professional animal care or help from the region, make sure that you familiarise these people with your animal in the event of an emergency.
• Also make sure that there is enough food and any necessary medication for your animal.

Talk openly to your friends, acquaintances, family members, neighbors or, in the case of looking after horses, other riders in the stable about your emergency planning. If you cannot find any way to look after your animal, please get support from helpful people in your region. In social media such as Twitter and Facebook, a large number of users offer their help under hashtags such as #Coronahilfe, city-specific e.g. #CoronaBerlin or in groups such as “Gassigeher bundesweit” (for Germany) and “Notfall Tierbetreuung” (for Austria).

Another option is animal boarding houses or in acute emergencies and - as a last resort - animal shelters, some of which take animals into their care for a flat fee.

No, from an animal welfare point of view, disinfection of animals is not a viable option and we urgently advise against special cleaning measures, which are unfortunately often wrongly widespread: Dogs and cats do not have to be specially bathed and should not be disinfected at all.

In the summer of 2020, an ordinance was passed in the Bundestag according to which positive corona tests in pets are notifiable. However, this does not mean that every pet owner now has to have the animal tested. Such an obligation is not planned in the future either.

The reporting obligation only applies to tests of animals that have been tested anyway, for example because their owners were infected with the coronavirus and the animals show symptoms of infection. In these cases, a veterinarian can consider a test - and the new ordinance includes the obligation to report this to the responsible authorities in the event of a positive test result. In this case, the corona tests reported to the responsible research institutes can help to find out more about the novel virus.

Many cat owners are probably familiar with the feline coronavirus. Likewise, you may have heard that dogs can become infected with a coronavirus. Like Sars-Cov-2, these viruses belong to the coronavirus family, which is, however, very large. Their individual representatives can cause a wide variety of diseases in a wide variety of host species - and must be viewed differently. Coronaviruses in cats and dogs belong to the genus of alpha coronaviruses, while SARS-CoV-2 belongs to the genus of beta coronaviruses.

There is currently no vaccine for dogs and cats against Sars-Cov-2 in this country. The few cases in which the coronavirus has been diagnosed in dogs and cats were isolated cases that do not make vaccination necessary at this point in time.

Yes, according to the current state of research on the coronavirus, there are no restrictions here. However, if you yourself are infected or already sick, according to the Friedrich-Löffler-Institute it is advisable to avoid contact between your cat and people and animals outside the household during your isolation - and it is better not to allow your animal to go outside during this time.

No, there is no need to “hoard” any food or consumables. It is currently only recommended to provide for yourself and your animal in the event of illness or quarantine and to have food ready for a few days, a maximum of two weeks. But please do not exaggerate - also out of solidarity with other pet owners.