Current information on SARS-CoV-2 in pets

SARS-CoV-2 is the cause of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) and responsible for the current global pandemic An amplified zoonotic transmission event in a seafood and animal market in Wuhan (China), is suspected to be the site of the first significant infectious epidemic in humans, with bats and/or pangolins speculated as the potential species of origin based on the sequence homology of coronaviruses isolated from these animals The close association between humans and pets raises concerns about the potential risks of transmitting SARS-CoV-2 from humans to animals ("reverse zoonosis"), and the role that infected animals may play in the spread of the disease (such as becoming a new reservoir for the virus) Further research on SARS-CoV-2 infection in various animal species is needed in order to identify susceptible hosts and to better understand the infection, disease, clinical course and transmission capacities of sensitive animal species This knowledge is important for risk assessment, implementation of mitigation strategies, resolution of animal welfare issues, and development of preclinical animal models for the evaluation of drug and vaccine candidates for COVID-19