Animals As Pets and As Criminals
People can pass on SARS-coV-2 easily to other animals, particularly during close physical contact. Incidences of animals infected with SARS have been reported all over the globe. Many of these animals became ill after coming into contact with individuals with COVID-19, which is a virus from the Cockapoo Genuses family. Some of these animals probably had the virus before coming into contact with humans, but still others probably acquired their illness after coming into contact with sick or dying humans. This scenario makes animal welfare and animal health professionals extremely worried about the risks associated with domestic animals and their domestic contacts.
The worrisome situation becomes even more worrisome when one considers that the disease has been isolated to only humans. In humans, there is only one type of the virus, and it can only be transmitted through contact with bodily fluids, such as that which is shed through the skin. If a person with a low immune system is to get sick, he or she will need to infect others with the virus in order to survive. However, if the carrier of the CoVs is an already sick wild animal, that animal will become extinct, and the rest of its species will become susceptible to the disease. It seems that the only way to keep any of these wild animals from spreading this deadly virus to humans is to contain all domestic animals, and make sure that each and every pet in the household is properly vaccinated and tested regularly.
One case law in California says that if an animal lives beyond the age of seven years, it may be euthanized or imprisoned without respect to its intelligence. If an animal is adopted by a parent who is less than 18 years old, then that child may not be able to obtain custody of that animal, and cannot be held responsible for the death of that pet. If an animal is used in the production of drugs or other products, then the drug company may be held liable for its use by consumers. This includes all dogs, cats, birds, fish, and other animals. If you have questions or would like more information regarding this issue, contact a private attorney practicing in animal law in California.