In this emotional conversation, Ann shares fears for her ferret (who isn't a rodent, thank you) and Lisa tells a Jane Goodall story about chimpanzees during a polio epidemic. They also ask, can dogs catch COVID? Can cats pass it on? It turns out animals do all the same things we do (almost) to prevent contagion during pandemics.

Want to follow up on our sources or watch any of the videos we mention? Go to ThisAnimalLIfe.com and click on Show Notes.

References:

Combs, Sydney, “These Wild Animals Also Practice Social Distancing to Avoid Getting Sick,” National Geographic, March 24, 2020

COVID-19 Facts for Pet Owners, American Veterinary Medical Association.

COVID-19 and Pets, Mayo Clinic.

Daly, Natasha, “First Dog to Test Positive for COVID in the US Dies,” National Geographic JULY 29, 2020

de Ferrer, Marthe, “These Animals Already Self-Isolate to Stay Safe and Healthy. What Can We Learn From Them?”  Euronews, last updated: 13/05/2020

Goodall, Jane, In the Shadow of Man. Mariner Books, 2000.

Greene, Meg, Jane Goodall: A Biography. Prometheus Books, 2008.

Hawley, Dana M. & Julia C. Buck,  “Animals Use Social Distancing to Avoid Disease” in Scientific American, August 1, 2020.

Kwong, Emily,“1st U.S. Dog With COVID-19 Has Died, And There's A Lot We Still Don't Know,” Short Wave, NPR August 12, 2020.

Paumgarten, Nick, “What Will Become of Pandemic Pets?” The New Yorker, June 21, 2021

“Transmission of SARS-CoV-2 in Domestic Cats” New England Journal of Medicine, August 6, 2020.