Can I get COVID-19 from my pet or other animals?

Based on available information, researchers believe that the risk of getting COVID-19 from an animal is low. There is currently no evidence that animals play a large role in spreading the virus. While there have been reports of a small number of animals having the virus, most of these cases happened after the animal came in direct contact with a person that had COVID-19. In general, older people, people with weakened immune systems, and children under 5 years are more likely to get sick from animals. However, there is not enough information at this time to know if this is the case for COVID-19. If your pet is sick and you’re concerned that it was exposed to COVID-19, contact your veterinarian.