Domestic cats and dogs may have to be vaccinated in the future against Covid-19 to protect people
This is a quick note but one worth making nonetheless. I think I can predict that in the long term, perhaps in about 18 months to 2 years time, governments in various countries, perhaps predominantly in the West, will be thinking about vaccinating companion animals as a second phase protective measure against Covid-19. This is because there is a concern amongst some scientists that animals may create a reservoir for mutant variants of the Covid-19 virus. As the virus is zoonotic it can theoretically and actually be transmitted from animals to people and this must apply also to companion animals. Danish mink farmer with white mink due to be euthanised. Photo per credit Perhaps because of the general panicked nature of governmental responses to the coronavirus pandemic, not enough work has been done on this aspect of the spread of the disease. In addition nobody wants to alarm anybody which may lead to companion animal abuse. In fact, in China, at the outset of the pandemic, there were
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No one is concerned about the numbers of cats. These issues are dominated by careerist low level politicians, striving to make a name for themselves, or maybe large rescue or pest control organisations trying to grab a sizey, financial contract to kill cats
The TNR evidence is clear. Managed neutered colonies are no health risk to other animals or human animals.
Killing creates a vacuum, one that nature will immediately fill with more cats.
The large cat charities and animal welfare orgs' could do much to promote responsible stewardship and also use the millions they keep in the bank to fund low cost spay/neuter. Some offer vouchers, but none of them advertise via a suitably large enough campaign.
I used to think that New Zealand was a much more intelligently humane country than Australia, but sadly, they aren't.