Dog Killed By Covid Health Workers In China While Owner Quarantined

The death of a pet dog whose guardians were in isolation has stirred outcry on Chinese social media and prompted concerns about the severe measures being taken by health authorities to combat the ongoing Delta outbreak.

A resident of Shangrao, Jiangxi province, said on Weibo that her pet dog was bludgeoned to death by health staff inside her home while she was quarantined in a hotel that did not permit animals. One of two PPE-wearing individuals is seen beating the puppy with what seems to be a crowbar in the video allegedly taken from her flat’s security camera and released online.

On Saturday night, Shangrao city officials apologized for not contacting the dog’s owner and stated the employee in question had been fired. In addition, it noted the dog had been treated in a “harmless” manner.

People in quarantine were meant to leave their flat doors open for quarantining, according to the notice, but hers had been closed. Workers gained access to her flat with the help of police and found the dog.

About 210 million people saw a hashtag relating to the response. People commenting queried if the employee acted without authorization and chastised the censorship of internet discussions about the incident.

In September, officials in Harbin were condemned of overreaction when they euthanized three cats who had tested positive for the virus while their owner was hospitalized.

According to the South China Morning Post, the events have sparked waves of terror among pet owners and uncertainty among local officials regarding laws and legal processes. Previous efforts to care for the pets while their owners were quarantined were mentioned in the local media. Moreover, the requirements for persons to be quarantined have broadened as China pursues a zero-Covid plan and faces a tenacious epidemic of the Delta type.

There is no solid evidence that Covid-19 can be transmitted from pets to their owners. However, according to several national disease control centers, a Covid patient should be isolated from both people and animals.

Source: BBC