Dogs and Cats don’t spread Coronavirus

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Beware! RWAs spreading fake news on animals spreading Coronavirus can now be booked under violation of Disaster Management Act

Cooperative Housing Societies(CHS) and Resident Welfare Associations(RWA) spreading fake news saying that dogs and cats can cause COVID is a violation of the Disaster Management Act 2005.

Strict action will be taken against such misinformation by the Government of India.

Please take note and share with societies who are spreading misinformation about animals spreading #COVID19.

Details of how to and whom to complain are shared in the images below.

Animals don’t spread or get #coronavirus. We humans do.

Don’t be a #COVIDIOT. Don’t spread misinformation, it’s is not only irresponsible but also a criminal offence.

Please do file a formal complaint if a CHS/RWA or member of such CHS/RWA does not desist from spreading false information even after your warning and sharing facts.

Globally, over 17 lakh people have been infected with COVID-19, whereas, there have been only 4 isolated and rare cases of animals that have tested positive for COVID. Experts suggest that these animals got it from their positive pet parents with whom these animals were living.

NO cases in India whatsoever, and NO evidence GLOBALLY to prove that animals spread it. Instead, there is more than enough evidence to prove that humans spread the virus to other fellow humans and that is precisely why we are in a lockdown, animals are not.

So, if at all anyone has to be scared, it’s the animals who should be scared of us and not the other way round.

You are way more safe with an animal than with an unknown human.

Please share widely!

*Text Credit: Meet Ashar

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Veterinary Services and Pharmacies to remain open during Lockdown, says Ministry of Home Affairs order dated 25th March, 2020

Ministry of Home Affairs, Government of India (abbreviated as ‘MHA’) on 25th March, 2020 has issued an addendum (meaning “add-on”) to its guidelines issued on 24th March 2020, asking Veterinary Hospitals and pharmacies to remain operational during the lockdown, which includes private Veterinary Clinics, too. This is part of the Government’s effective action step to prevent animals from suffering without medical aid.

P.S: Para C(f) and Para D of the Addendum under the signature of Union Home Secretary Government of India, are really good, providing scope for Wildlife Vets and Animal Husbandry Department Vets serving for domestic and companion animals.

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This addendum comes on the same day as the PM’s request to the nation, to be “Compassionate Citizens” & feed the hungry, both the poor humans and neighbourhood animals. The video can be watched below –

Original source: www.pib.gov.in

Please read the Press Release, Download the MHA Order and MHA guidelines dated 24th March in different languages from https://pib.gov.in/PressReleaseIframePage.aspx?PRID=1607997

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Veterinary services must go on, animals can’t and shouldn’t suffer during COVID-19, PM Modi & Central Govt tells states

Please carry printouts of the PM’s advisory to the States about street animal welfare, and the letter from the Ministry of Fisheries, Animal Husbandry and Dairying, Upamanyu Basu, to show the authorities if they stop you from feeding.

Please also keep an eye out for animals that may be suffering inside closed pet shops and inform the authorities immediately.

Sharing the same below for ready reference:

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News Article in ‘The Print’ dated 23rd March by Journalist Sanya Dhingra (Please scroll below for relevant images, that you can download, print and keep handy, while you feed/look after animals in need and street animals in general. This is the time to show humanity, kindness and compassion to all living beings)

The Narendra Modi government has told all states to ensure that medical help for animals is treated as an essential service, which does not get suspended during COVID-19 lockdowns across the country.

While several states announced lockdowns Sunday in a bid to arrest the spread of the deadly disease in India, they did not include veterinary services in the list of essential services that would be exempt under it.

In a letter addressed to all chief secretaries dated 23rd March, the Centre said, “It is requested that veterinary hospitals and dispensaries in the state, including private veterinary clinics, veterinary pathologies, animal shelters etc. function in the normal course and the veterinary services be considered in the list of ‘Essential Services’.”

The letter, written by the joint secretary of the Ministry of Fisheries, Animal Husbandry and Dairying, Upamanyu Basu said, “It is necessary to ensure continuous emergency services in the animal husbandry and veterinary sector, especially in emergent animal health issues situations.

“These May include but are not restricted to, emergency services like disease diagnosis and treatment, monitoring of any emergency livestock and poultry diseases, immediate disease reporting, etc.”

However, the government has urged veterinarians and other related officials to ensure strict personal hygiene and avoid public gatherings.

‘Animals and birds should not suffer during lockdown’

On the same day, the Animal Welfare Board of India (AWBI) wrote another letter to all states emphasising that all law enforcement agencies ensure that animals and birds do not suffer due to hunger during the lockdown due to COVID-19.

Please carry printouts of the PM’s advisory to the States about street animal welfare, and the letter from the Ministry of Fisheries, Animal Husbandry and Dairying, Upamanyu Basu, to show the authorities if they stop you from feeding. Please also keep an eye out for animals that may be suffering inside closed pet shops and inform the authorities immediately.

“This is a valuable service consistently provided by compassionate individuals and the absence of it may cause a large number of animals and birds to suffer and die and carcasses of the dead animals and birds may further spread different diseases amongst community which will be difficult to control,” Dr O.P. Chaudhary, Director of the AWBI has written.

Meanwhile Delhi Government has issued the following order as well.

“The situation is quite alarming,” BJP MP Maneka Gandhi said. “In some places, food is being stopped…No animal grains and chara is being allowed to come to Haryana from UP. Even pedigree from Hyderabad is being stopped by Mumbai,” she said.

“Animals and birds cannot be allowed to starve in the country in this manner.”

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Coronavirus cannot spread through live animals, continue feeding street animals. This is the moment to be kind and humane.

The Animal Welfare Board of India (AWBI), a statutory body under the Government of India, has written to the chief secretaries of all State governments and Union Territories to ensure the well-being of pet animals amid the Corona virus threat.

In a circular, AWBI Chairman Mr. O. P Chaudhary said that, “It was brought to the notice of the Board that the animal owners are depriving their pets of proper food, water or shelter due to the increasing threat of the virus.”

The World Health Organisation (WHO) has clarified that dogs and cats are not involved in spreading infection in the current episode of coronavirus infection. “The Board has already issued an advisory to the State government sand UTs to see that the stray animals are taken care of by the local bodies as it their responsibility,” Chaudhary said.

Hence, the AWBI chief has requested the governments to create awareness about animal welfare and advise them against abandoning their pets.

Even fimstars, like Arjun Kapoor, Twinkle Khanna, Kriti Sanon, Mini Mathur and many more kind hearts, are urging their fans and followers on their Instagram feeds to continue feeding street animals, more so now, when eateries, their primary source of scavenging for food, are shut.

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Important Message for Street Animal Caretakers in light of Covid 19 related Complete Lockdown across many Indian States

Important message for stray animal feeders/caregivers in the light of complete lockdown announced by state governments of Maharashtra, Delhi and several other states to prevent further spread of COVID-19:

Please understand that there is a difference between lockdown and curfew.

Lockdown means that offices, shops, malls, certain government offices, public transport etc shall remain shut, emergency services will function and essential commodities will continue to be available.

During curfew, it is advised that people shouldn’t step out unless there’s an emergency.

However, during a lockdown, you may do what is essential and unavoidable, for instance – feed strays that you have been tending to. Nobody can stop you from feeding strays responsibly. Remember, you are merely discharging your constitutional duty of being a responsible citizen as mandated by Article 51(A)(g) of the Constitution of India by looking after animals and showing compassion towards them. Imposition of Section 144 of the Criminal Procedure Code means gathering of more than 5 people is prohibited. For feeding/medicating, it’s generally only one person and probably one more to help/assist. You are not in violation of any law if you do it responsibly.

Please do not panic, there is no reason to.

If any police officer or civic body official approaches, questions or asks you not to feed animals, to begin with, POLITELY explain to them what the law says, that you do it responsibly without causing nuisance to anybody, and that it is not illegal to feed strays, on the other hand it is illegal to prevent people from responsibly feed stray.

If that doesn’t work, only then get an animal activist, NGO or an Animal Welfare Officer involved.

First you should do the talking by trying to reason out, explaining common sense stuff like animals cannot survive on the roads without food, especially when they are used to getting fed by you.

Please stay safe and indoors as much as possible!

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Credits for this Informative Text: Meet Ashar