COVID-19 and One Welfare: Are Pets an Obstacle to Medical Care in Times of Crisis?

Pets are very popular in France. Half of all households have a furry, feathered, or scaly pet, and these numbers are expected to rise following the social isolation imposed by the COVID-19 pandemic and the loneliness that came with it. But did you know that owning a pet changes the owner’s habits—particularly when it comes to medical care? It’s impossible to ignore the strong bonds that form between animals and their humans. While this connection is undeniably beneficial, it can also be a barrier to the owner’s health and well-being, according to a study that examined the medical care of COVID-19 patients who own pets. Attachment to pets and animal owners’ socioeconomic resources are, in fact, important factors in animal owners’ decisions regarding medical care. And up to 10% of high-priority patients in the United States say they want to delay or completely forego COVID-19 screening and treatment for the sake of their pets. A key issue is pet care during medical absences and hospitalizations, particularly when animal owners are socially isolated and lack support. And rightly so, it must be said. In New York, during the first wave of COVID-19, many animals were left abandoned in apartments without any care when their owners did not return. And this issue is particularly acute given growing—and sometimes unfounded—fears that pets may be sentient beings that can be infected with COVID-19 and could potentially transmit the disease to other animals and humans.

For animal owners, the well-being of their companions is therefore reason enough to influence—or at least delay—their decisions regarding medical care.

But prioritizing pets could have repercussions far beyond the health and well-being of their owners. Public health is at stake, particularly in situations as critical as the current COVID-19 pandemic. While every new case and every delay in screening and treatment counts, these behaviors—which stem from a healthy concern for our furry companions—could unfortunately increase the spread and prevalence of the disease. “One Health” researchers are calling for the human-pet bond to be considered a key factor in prevention policies. Communities could benefit from a One Health/One Welfare approach that emphasizes collaboration between animal and human health and animal welfare services. In the interest of public health, human and animal social services could support animal owners in difficult situations where, for medical reasons, they are no longer able to properly care for their pets—particularly in pandemic contexts such as the one we are experiencing today.