Do we need a COVID-19 vaccine for pets?

SARS-CoV-2 has never been an exclusively human problem. Since the early days of the pandemic, scientists have been concerned about the impact of the virus responsible for COVID-19 on pets, livestock, and wildlife. Cats and dogs can become infected, and cats appear to transmit the coronavirus to other cats, at least in the lab. Minks at hundreds of farms around the globe have suffered outbreaks, leading to massive culling, and in some cases, human infections. And scientists worry people or domestic animals could transmit the virus to wildlife, creating an uncontrollable reservoir of the disease.

Fortunately, very effective human vaccines have arrived (though it may take a while for everyone to get one). But are vaccines for pets and other animals necessary? How will they be developed? And how quickly could they become available? Here’s what we know so far. Read more…