As concerns about coronavirus continue to escalate, universities and colleges are planning their responses to provide for the health and well-being of students, faculty, and staff.  That planning should include how to address issues related to ongoing research involving animal models as well as issues related to service animals and emotional support animals. As reported by CDC, “[a]t this time, there is no evidence that companion animals including pets can be infected with or spread COVID-19.”  (COVID-19 is the strain of coronavirus spreading now).

However, “the  epicenter of the outbreak in Wuhan, Hubei Province, China had some link to a large seafood and live animal market, suggesting animal-to-person spread,” and coronavirus is common in “many different species of animals, including camels, cattle, cats, and bats.”  A dog reportedly tested positive for the virus in China, but there is insufficient evidence as to whether the test result was valid, or whether the dog was infected or simply exposed to the virus.

Whether dogs and other animals will be infected by COVID-19 does not alter potential concerns and liabilities a universities will face.

Preliminary considerations include:

1. People with service animals cannot be discriminated against, but they are required to provide for the care of their service animal, directly or through some other person.  If the disabled individual is infected and quarantined, s/he may be unable to care for that animal.  There should be plans for someone else to care for the service animal without exposure to the virus.  If the service animal can transmit the virus, even if only as a fomite, additional precautions must ensue.  The disabled person must be able to retain the services of that animal for the task(s) for which it has been trained, or an alternative must be considered.
2. People with emotional support animals, that may not be afforded as significant protections as those with service animals, would likely benefit from the ability to keep that animal with them in the event they are quarantined, which can be a stressful situation.  The same concerns about disease spread to other people and the environment exist.
3. The continuation of biomedical research with animal models may be disrupted by the inability to obtain adequate supplies, medications, feed, and/or bedding.  Since animals must be properly cared for, plans to provide alternate animal care staff should be considered in the event of infection in existing staff.

There are many additional concerns about the potential transmission of the virus in a university setting.  As a former animal health official in New Jersey (the State Veterinarian) part of my responsibility was to protect the livestock, poultry and aquaculture in the state from the spread of highly contagious diseases (including anthrax, highly contagious avian influenza, foot and mouth disease and  West Nile viruses), and draft and implement emergency response plans in coordination with other state, local and federal agencies and with all stakeholders and impacted businesses.  With my training and background, and understanding of the legal issues related to disease spread and response, I am available to assist universities navigate through their planning and implementation.  As with all other coronavirus-related activities—PLAN DON’T PANIC, and remember to include animals in those plans.

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