By Alesha Capone
Veterinary practices across Wyndham are adjusting the way they operate, to keep both pets and humans safe as Covid-19 concerns continue.
While there is no evidence that dogs or cats can catch the Coronavirus, or pass it on to humans, the measures have been put in place to reduce the likelihood of vets and their staff potentially catching the illness from pet owners.
U-Vet Werribee Animal Hospital has announced they will remain open but will only be accepting urgent cases, and will no longer allow members of the public into their building.
Direct Vet Services (DVS) in Point Cook is offering telemedicine consultations and virtual consultations via remote conferencing services such as Skype or Zoom, where possible.
The practice is also asking people who bring their pets to the clinic to leave them in a bank of cages, provided outside the door, for staff to collect.
The veterinarians will check and treat the pet, while their owners remain in their vehicle.
The animals will then be returned to the cages, for owners to collect.
Due to the size of the DVS facility, one pet owner may be allowed inside at a time, provided the owner remains a safe distance from all staff.
DVS veterinarian Dr Karen Davies is also calling on the state and federal governments to declare veterinary businesses to be officially declared an essential service, under the Covid-19 regulations.
The Australian Veterinary Association is also campaigning for this to occur.
Dr Davies said that if vets were not declared essential, this could potentially mean no euthanasia for very ill pets, and no care for livestock.
As the Coronavirus continues to impact on all aspects of life, the volunteer-run Purrs of Point Cook group has called for more foster carers for its cats and kittens.
In a Facebook post, the group said its existing foster carers “are stretched to the limit”.
Potential foster carers are subject to approval screening.
and are asked to provide food, litter, water, shelter, warm bedding, worm and flea treatment for the cats.
See www.purrsofpointcook.com.au/become-a-foster-carer or www.facebook.com/purrsofpointcook for details.
