Coronovirus – China threatens to KILL dogs and cats if pet owners do not ‘deal with’ their animals amid panic over bug
LOCAL authorities in China have threatened to KILL pet dogs and cats over fears domesticated animals could catch the deadly coronavirus.
The vicious bug, which is believed to have started in a market in Wuhan, is spreading around the world and has killed 213 in under one month.
Earlier this week, China's top expert for infectious diseases warned pets could be infected by Coronavirus - sparking panic among animal lovers.
This has prompted local authorities across the country to issue strict orders banning pets from going outside with some even threatening to cull the adorable beasts, it has emerged.
A village in Hebei – nine hours drive north of virus ground zero in Wuhan – has told families to “deal with” their pets within five days or else officials will “handle” them, the reports.
Another local authority in Shaanxi urged residents to “consider the overall situation” and to dispose of their pets, it has been reported.
However, the World Health Organisation says there is no evidence that the deadly virus has been passed onto domestic animals such as dogs and cats.
But China’s top expert for infectious diseases said that pets would need to quarantined if their owners were to catch the virus.
In Wuhan, one area has banned residents from letting their animals leave their homes.
PET OWNER PANIC
And in a flyer, local authorities have threatened to catch and kill dogs and cats if they catch any on the streets.
According to the Humane Society International, similar orders have been issued across China including in Beijing, Tianjin, Shandong, Heilongjiang, Shanxi and Shanghai.
Dr Peter J. Li, China Policy Specialist of Humane Society International, said he had seen memos issued by local authorities in China ordering the killings of dogs and stray cats.
He told Mail Online: “This is not the right approach for local authorities in China to deal with the national crisis that can be traced to China's out-of-control wildlife trade.
“Companion animals did not contribute to the outbreak of SARS in 2002-2003. They do not have anything to do with the Wuhan epidemic.”
Meanwhile, dog owners in China are rushing to buy face masks for their pooches.
Zhou Tianxiao, 33, started selling special masks for dogs in 2018 to help protect them from air pollution.
But since the coronavirus broke out in Wuhan earlier this month, Mr Zhou has gone from selling 150 masks a month to at least 50 a day.
He said: "Most [dogs] have started to wear [masks]. Because there is this virus, people pay more attention to their health and their pets' health."
Zhou sells the masks for 49 yuan (£5.40) for a pack of three.
He added: "[The dog masks] might not be as professional as the medical masks made for humans, but they are functional.
"Their main purposes are to block out smog, stop dogs from eating or licking food on the floor and prevent them from being exposed to the virus."
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Prof. Li Lanjuan, a member of the senior expert team from China's National Health Commission, said: "In this epidemic season, pet owners should strengthen their management of their pets.
"If your dogs run around outside and come to contact with the outbreak or people infected with the virus, then your pets should also be put in quarantine.
"Because the epidemic spreads between mammals, therefore we should take precaution against other mammals."
