Service Animals and Other Potential Vectors

[jane01jp]

I just read that a wild mink in Utah was found to have COVID-19, and the article said that it has also been found in dogs and cats.

My friend is currently at WDW and he has sent me pictures in which I noticed service animals.

What should DCL and the parks do to protect others from possible infection by service animals? Should service animals be against the rules for now? Or, can dogs wear masks?

https://thehill.com/changing-americ...wild-animal-in-us-tests-positive-for-covid-19

 

[_auroraborealis_]

For god's sake.

 

[jane01jp]

For god's sake.

I know! It's awful. If this thing mutates in domestic and/or wild animals, there is no telling when, or if, it might ever end. It could even get into domestic livestock and threaten our food chain.

 

[belle032]

This is extremely low on my list of things to worry about. And by that I mean it's not on my list at all.

 

[Chuck S]

Between now and when we get vaccinations, wear a mask and don't come into close contact (within 6 feet) of animals you don't know.

 

[jane01jp]

This is extremely low on my list of things to worry about. And by that I mean it's not on my list at all.

I know it sounds far fetched, but if I would have told you a year ago what would be going on now...

 

[lanejudy]

A service animal is considered an extension of the person; I don't believe the service animal can be excluded without running afoul of ADA. That said, there are very few service animals on DCL and the process to bring a service animal onto a cruise ship is quite involved. I would not be concerned. Locally as well as at WDW, I recommend avoiding contact with any service animals that are not yours, which you should do anyway.

 

[jane01jp]

A service animal is considered an extension of the person; I don't believe the service animal can be excluded without running afoul of ADA. That said, there are very few service animals on DCL and the process to bring a service animal onto a cruise ship is quite involved. I would not be concerned. Locally as well as at WDW, I recommend avoiding contact with any service animals that are not yours, which you should do anyway.

I do avoid contact. But, I haven't seen any service animals that wash their paws frequently, nor sneeze into their elbows.

I am a dachshund lover (we have an 11 week old blue/tan dachshund puppy - this is the fourth one we've had over the years). I once saw a service dachshund getting pictures with Mickey and Minnie at the Gold/Platinum member's reception.

 

[lanejudy]

If you aren't concerned about your own pup, I wouldn't worry about a service animal with which you won't have direct contact.

 

[Heather07438]

I know it sounds far fetched, but if I would have told you a year ago what would be going on now...

That service animal is really no different than a member of their family. If everybody was bringing pets, it would be a different story. But for now with a small fraction of a percent of WDW visitors needing service animals, it's not going to make any detectable impact. Like Chuck said, best to keep your 6ft away from those you do not know.

 

[_auroraborealis_]

Service animals, real service animals, are highly trained essential workers. They cannot be excluded under US law, and cruise lines embarking from US ports are required to make accommodation on ship. (At ports of call, it varies and isn't required. My friend has had some adventures around this with her visionsuperdoggo.)

Hyperventilating about service animals is ridiculous. You should be engaging in social distance from the handler of each animal at this time anyway. There has been no solid science around zoophilic transmission based on animal breathing.

 

[jane01jp]

Service animals, real service animals, are highly trained essential workers. They cannot be excluded under US law, and cruise lines embarking from US ports are required to make accommodation on ship. (At ports of call, it varies and isn't required. My friend has had some adventures around this with her visionsuperdoggo.)

Hyperventilating about service animals is ridiculous. You should be engaging in social distance from the handler of each animal at this time anyway. There has been no solid science around zoophilic transmission based on animal breathing.

I'm not really hyperventilating about service animals. Just asking, that's all. As "the science" evolves, I'm just trying to keep up with it all.

 

[jane01jp]

If you aren't concerned about your own pup, I wouldn't worry about a service animal with which you won't have direct contact.

My pup is part of our bubble! Even the breeders met us outside and had their masks on.

 

[pjacobi]

When the virus kills all dogs and cats, then we'll have to have monkeys for pets. Opps, wasn't that a famous movie plot?

 

[jane01jp]

When the virus kills all dogs and cats, then we'll have to have monkeys for pets. Opps, wasn't that a famous movie plot?

Yeah! That would beat the alternative - minks and pangolins!

 

[Chuck S]

Yeah, but simians are likely as susceptible to COVID as we are, and just try to get them to wear a mask.

 

[Karin1984]

All mink farms in at least Denmark and the Netherlands have closed and got rid of their animals quite a while ago. Apparently minks are just very susceptible to catch covid. If regular house cats and dogs were as susceptible, we would have noticed it.

The only way to protect human from animals with covid is to kill the animal (if transmission from animal to human happens in these cases). There isn't as much of a market for animal vaccines, so if they ever arrive, it will be late.

 

[jane01jp]

All mink farms in at least Denmark and the Netherlands have closed and got rid of their animals quite a while ago. Apparently minks are just very susceptible to catch covid. If regular house cats and dogs were as susceptible, we would have noticed it.

The only way to protect human from animals with covid is to kill the animal (if transmission from animal to human happens in these cases). There isn't as much of a market for animal vaccines, so if they ever arrive, it will be late.

It's a shame about the minks.

 

[jane01jp]

Yeah, but simians are likely as susceptible to COVID as we are, and just try to get them to wear a mask.

They might if they saw us do it. Monkey see, monkey do.

 

[MomOTwins]

There are far more human babies at WDW exempt from mask requirements than there are service dogs.