Pune: City-Based NGO Urges Government To Test Animals For COVID-19
NEHA BASUDKAR GHATE
Pune, 14 May 2021: Since coronavirus (COVID-19) cases are spreading amongst the animals, it not only risks the lives of humans but is also an equal threat to the animal world. Keeping this in mind, Biosphere, an NGO based in Pune, has written a letter to the Union Minister of Environment Forest and Climate Change Prakash Javdekar, requesting he take necessary actions to assess captive, domestic, and wild animals across India for possible COVID-19 infections.
Earlier this month, eight Asiatic lions at the Nehru Zoological Park in Hyderabad tested positive for COVID-19. Similarly, in 2020, several dogs, cats, tigers, and lions from all over the world tested positive for COVID-19.
“Given the spread of COVID-19 across the country and reports of deaths of lions due to COVID-19, the authorities should reduce human-wildlife interface, constitute a task force, set up essential services for emergency services for animals, enhance disease surveillance and maintain all other stipulation issued by the Health Ministry,” states the letter by Biosphere.
Sachin Punekar, Founder of Biosphere, said, “Given the spread of the COVID-19 cases among animals all around the world, it is a dire need to start testing animals kept in captivity, pets and strays for COVID-19. If the virus is communicable in animals and through animals to humans, then it would spread on a large level. Therefore it is important to assess their samples as well.”
Following the letter, the Forest Department of Pune has started taking action. It has held meetings on the district level to discuss and take action on the issue.
Rahul Patil, Deputy Conservative of Forest of Pune, has informed that crows and peacocks in certain areas of Pune and Baramati are dying in huge numbers suddenly.
Patil said, “We have sent the samples of these dead crows and peacocks to the National Institute of Virology (NIV) located at Pashan-Sus Road. These deaths may have been caused due of rising temperatures during the summer and less water consumption. But the results from the NIV are yet to come.”
Similarly, Suresh Jagtap, Director at Rajiv Gandhi Zoological Park and Wildlife Research Center in Katraj, said, “There are 440 animals, 63 species, including mammals, birds, and reptiles at the park, and all the creatures are doing well and are being taken care of. We are following the guidelines issued by the Central Zoo Authority. The animals are yet to undergo any tests, but are being closely observed for any symptoms of COVID-19.”
Despite animals getting infected worldwide, the Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC) is not taking the necessary steps to examine the animals of the city. Prakash Wagh, Veterinary Superintendent of PMC’s Health Department, said, “There are no test kits available to examine the animals for COVID-19. But we have informed pet owners to have a close look at their pets and inform us if symptoms are detected in their pets. We have also informed animal lovers to inform us if they notice any symptoms in stray animals,”.
There is no evidence to prove that COVID-19 can spread from animals to humans, but the animals that got COVID-19 have contracted it from humans.
Dr Vivek Pande, a veterinarian at Dr Vivek Pande Pet Clinic located at Shastri Nagar, said, “It becomes very difficult to diagnose animals be it a pet or stray. Also, there are no test kits to test animals for COVID-19. There are no cases yet of animals getting infected with COVID-19 in the city. However, to be on a safer side, we are suggesting to keep pets away from infected persons.”
“And if any pet gets infected by the virus, then it can be treated at home,” Pande added.
