20 April 2020
COVID-19 and animals
Case reports Published 20 April 2020 | Updated 18 February 2025 There have been a small number of reports of animals being infected with SARS-CoV-2. To date, all these animals appear to have been infected through contact with infected people. There is no evidence of humans being infected through contact with domestic animals. Update There continue to be further case reports of pet animals infected with SARS-CoV-2, in all cases these appear to come from households in which at least one person is infected with COVID-19. A full list of case reports of confirmed infection of SARS-CoV-2 in animals (Events in animals tab) can be found on the OIE website. SARS-ANI VIS: a global open access dataset of reported SARS-CoV-2 events in animals. . Variants (Delta and Alpha) Tewari, D. et al. (2023) SARS-CoV-2 infection dynamics in the Pittsburgh Zoo wild felids with two viral variants (Delta and Alpha) during the 2021–2022 pandemic in the United States. Animals, 13 (19), no. 3094. https://doi.org/10.3390/ani13193094 Published 14 November 2023 Variant (Omicron) Klein, C. et al. (2023) Dogs and cats are less susceptible to the Omicron variant of concern of SARS-CoV-2: A field study in Germany, 2021/2022. Transboundary and Emerging Diseases, 2023, no. 1868732. https://doi.org/10.1155/2023/1868732 Published 14 November 2023 Variant B.1.1.529 (Omicron) Sánchez-Morales, L. et al. (2022) The Omicron (B.1.1.529) SARS-CoV-2 variant of concern also affects companion animals. Frontiers in Veterinary Science, 9, no. 940710. https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fvets.2022.940710 Published 15 September 2022 Variant B.1.617.2 (Delta) Published 17 May 2022 Variant B.1.1.7 (alpha) Published 1 February 2022 Hamsters Hong kong Published 1 February 2022 Determining the role of natural SARS-CoV-2 infection in the death of domestic pets: 10 cases (2020–2021) Published 1 February 2022 COVID-19 cases that have been reported to USDA Published 18 January 2021 Updated 18 February 2025Dogs
- Padilla-Blanco, M. et al. (2022) Detection of SARS-CoV-2 in a dog with hemorrhagic diarrhea. BMC Veterinary Research, 18, no. 370. https://doi.org/10.1186/s12917-022-03453-8
- Dog – New York Published 8 June 2020
- Dog 1 Pomeranian – Hong Kong Published 20 April 2020 | Updated 15 May 2020
- Dog 2 German Shepherd – Hong Kong Published 20 April 2020 | Updated 15 May 2020
- Dog with pulmonary fibrosis Published 17 May 2022
Cats
- Detection of SARS-CoV-2 and a possible variant in shelter cats Published 18 February 2025
- Suspected Cat-to-Human transmission of SARS-CoV-2, Thailand, July-September 2021 Published 2022
- Detection of SARS‐CoV‐2 in respiratory samples from cats in the UK associated with human‐to‐cat transmission Published 15 June 2021
- Cats – UK Published 28 July 2020| Updated 14 June 2021
- Cat – Minnesota Published 8 June 2020
- Cat – Spain Published 18 May 2020 | Updated 2 September 2020
- 2 Cats – France Published 18 May 2020
- Cat – Germany Published 18 May 2020
- 2 Cats – New York Published 23 April 2020
- Cat – Hong Kong Published 20 April 2020
- Cat – Belgium Published 20 April 2020
Ferrets/Minks
- SARS-CoV-2 and distemper co-infection in a domestic ferret. Case report Published 18 February 2025
- Ferret – Transmission of SARS-CoV-2 from human to domestic ferret Published 1 February 2022
- Mink – Denmark mutation Published 9 November 2020
- Mink – Netherlands, Denmark, Spain and Sweden Published 27 April 2020 | Updated 9 November 2020
Livestock
- Fiorito, F. et al. (2022) First description of serological evidence for SARS-CoV-2 in lactating cows. Animals, 12 (11) p. 1459. https://doi.org/10.3390/ani12111459
- Wernike, K. et al. (2022) Antibodies against SARS-CoV-2 suggestive of single events of spillover to cattle, Germany. Emerging Infectious Disease, 28 (9), pp. 1916-1918. https://doi.org/10.3201/eid2809.220125
Wildlife and zoo Updated 16 May 2024
- Heniff, A. C. et al. (2024) SARS-CoV-2 morbidity, treatment interventions, and vaccination practices in tigers (Panthera tigris ssp) in North American zoos. Journal of the American Veterinary Medical Association. https://doi.org/10.2460/javma.24.01.0030
- Drozd, M. et al. (2024) Mortality associated with SARS-CoV-2 in nondomestic felids. Veterinary Pathology. https://doi.org/10.1177/03009858231225500
- Asheley, H.B. et al. (2024) Natural SARS-CoV-2 Infection in a Free-Ranging Black-Tailed Marmoset (Mico melanurus) from an Urban Area in Mid-West Brazil. Journal of Comparative Pathology, 194, pp. 22-27. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jcpa.2022.03.005
- Ip, Y. et al. (2023) Anthropogenic Transmission of SARS-CoV-2 from humans to lions, Singapore, 2021. Emerging Infectious Diseases, 29 (12), pp. 2550-2553. https://doi.org/10.3201/eid2912.221916
- Italiya, J. et al. (2023) First detection of SARS-CoV-2 in white rhinoceros during a small-scale coronavirus surveillance in the Bandia Reserve, Senegal. Animals, 13 (16), no. 2593. https://doi.org/10.3390/ani13162593
- Siegrist, A. A. et al. (2023) Probable Transmission of SARS-CoV-2 from African Lion to Zoo Employees, Indiana, USA, 2021. Emerging Infectious Diseases, 29 (6), pp. 1102-1108. https://doi.org/10.3201/eid2906.230150
- Vercammen, F. et al. (2023) SARS-CoV-2 infection in captive hippos (Hippopotamus amphibius), Belgium. Animals, 13 (2), no. 316. https://doi.org/10.3390/ani13020316
- Allender, M.C. et al. (2022) Multi‐species outbreak of SARS‐CoV‐2 Delta variant in a zoological institution, with the detection in two new families of carnivores. Transboundary and Emerging Diseases. https://doi.org/10.1111/tbed.14662
- Pereira, A.H.B. et al. (2022) Natural SARS-CoV-2 infection in a free-ranging Black-Tailed Marmoset (Mico melanurus) from an urban area in Mid-West Brazil. Journal of Comparative Pathology, 194, pp. 22-27. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jcpa.2022.03.005
- Wang, L. et al. (2022) Detection of SARS‐CoV‐2 clade B.1.2 in three snow leopards. Transboundary and Emerging Diseases, https://doi.org/10.1111/tbed.14625
- Black-tailed marmoset Published 13 June 2022
- Eurasian River Otter Published 17 May 2022
- Asiatic lions – India Published 27 September 2021
- Tiger & Lion – Bronx zoo Published 20 April 2020 | Updated 28 July 2020
- Gorillas – US Published 18 January 2021