Impact of the COVID-19 Pandemic on the Welfare of Animals in Australia

Abstract

We report on the various responses in Australia during 2020 to minimize negative impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic on the welfare of animals. Most organizations and individuals with animals under their care had emergency preparedness plans in place for various scenarios; however, the restrictions on human movement to contain the spread of COVID-19, coupled with the economic impact and the health effects of COVID-19 on the skilled workforce, constituted a new threat to animal welfare for which there was no blueprint. The spontaneous formation of a national, multisectoral response group on animal welfare, consisting of more than 34 organizations with animals under their care, facilitated information flow during the crisis, which helped to mitigate some of the shocks to different organizations and to ensure continuity of care for animals during the pandemic. We conclude that animal welfare is a shared responsibility, and accordingly, a multisectoral approach to animal welfare during a crisis is required. Our experience demonstrates that to safeguard animal welfare during crises, nations should consider the following: a national risk assessment, clear communication channels, contingency plans for animal welfare, a crisis response group, and support systems for animal care providers. Our findings and recommendations from the Australian context may inform other countries to ensure that animal welfare is not compromised during the course of unpredictable events.

Global health security must embrace a One Health approach: Contributions and experiences of veterinarians during the COVID-19 response in Australia

“…In the United States, for example, attachment to pets was found to be an important influence on health seeking behaviour, with some owners stating they would be inclined to delay testing and treatment for COVID-19 due to pet-related welfare concerns [ 64 ]. The lack of consideration of animal health and welfare needs and the repercussions as described in this study and elsewhere [ 18 ] were clear indicators of a lack of One Health coordination in the Australian response. A further example was found in the absence of specific health guidelines for veterinary practice where standard workplace recommendations from the DOH were difficult to implement in this context.…”

“…Given the clear links to animal health, the COVID-19 pandemic prompted early actions and reactions by the veterinary profession in many countries. Actions by veterinarians included those taken in response to animal health and welfare concerns [ 18 ] as well as public health impacts [ 19 ]; leveraging veterinary laboratories to provide extra diagnostic capacity; and redirecting veterinary medical equipment to hospitals [ 20 ]. Professional associations and researchers investigated the effects of COVID-19 on veterinary practices [ 21 ] and veterinary-related concerns of dog owners [ 22 ].…”

“…While some narrative descriptions of veterinary responses to COVID-19 have been published [ [18] , [19] , [20] ], as yet no studies have systematically collected data on the contributions and experiences of individual veterinarians, as well as the range of issues faced by the veterinary profession during the pandemic. We conducted key informant interviews of Australian veterinary professionals from both clinical and non-clinical roles in order to: 1) identify the range of contributions, relevant skills and motivations for engaging in the response; 2) characterise the extent of One Health collaboration and cooperation; and 3) discover existing and developed insights into preparedness and response to COVID-19 and future pandemics.…”

Impact of COVID-19 Restrictions in Portugal: A Questionnaire to Municipal and Animal Association Shelters

“…The immediate psychological impact of the pandemic on the human population has been evaluated in Portugal, as well as some socio-economic risk factors identified by an online survey [ 2 ]; however, the effects on animals remain to be studied. Challenges to human mental health during a crisis may impair the capability to provide adequate care to domestic animals or to perceive when animal welfare is at risk [ 3 ].…”

“…The COVID-19 pandemic had an indirect impact on the health and welfare of almost all animals, including wildlife, livestock, laboratory and companion animals [ 1 , 3 , 4 , 5 , 6 , 7 , 8 ]. According to the COVID-19 Thematic Platform on Animal Welfare, the main narratives on companion and shelter animals were the shelter influx of relinquished animals, China banning dog meat, shelter economics and the shortage of adoptable pets [ 5 ].…”