Animal hospitals in Owensboro have been staying busy providing curbside service for mostly medical visits and operating conservatively with the number of staff members and PPE supplies during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Teresa Wills, a veterinarian at Wills Animal Hospital, said the day-to-day operation at her office is challenging due to implementing the new safety measures.
“We are very busy and part of that is due to spreading out appointments more and because things take longer to do, and that takes more time,” Wills said.
She said people also have more time to pay attention to their pets since they’re staying at home more due to the coronavirus.
“Taking care of pets wasn’t a priority in the past but they’re home, they’re observing things and they are recognizing a problem quicker and seeking care,” she said.
Animal hospitals were deemed “essential businesses” and have been following guidelines from the Kentucky Veterinary Medical Association. Wills said she and her technicians wear masks on the job and keep the office door locked.
Pet owners wait in their cars and talk with veterinarians over the phone as their pets get examined. Curbside services have been a challenge for both pet owners and veterinarians, Wills said, because under normal circumstances she would be would able to gather more information by reading body language.
Walter Marsch, a veterinarian at East Side Animal Hospital, reported the same challenge.
“On a personal note, we’re having to communicate by phone,” Marsch said. “Essentially, when we have patients in front of us, we lose the human contact and the information that we gather from the owners. So we miss that, especially for bonding issues.”
John Austin, president of Saving Paws Animal Rescue of Kentucky, said COVID-19 has presented some challenges but things overall “have gone surprisingly well.”
Austin said a handful of people have reported they are adopting because being at home during the pandemic provided them with the time to take care of a pet.
“Several people have specifically said to us that since they were at home they decided it was a good time to go ahead,” Austin said. “They felt like they could devote the time to house training and getting a new dog comfortable in their home.”
Guidelines from the CDC for pet owners:
- Do not let pets interact with people or other animals outside the household.
- Walk dogs on a leash, maintaining at least 6 feet from other people and animals.
- Avoid dog parks or public places where a large number of people and dogs gather.
- When possible, have another member of your household care for your pets while you are sick.
- Avoid contact with your pet, including petting, snuggling, being kissed or licked, and sharing food or bedding.
- If you must care for your pet or be around animals while you are sick, wear a cloth face covering and wash your hands before and after you interact with them.
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The Owensboro Health coronavirus hotline is available 24/7 by calling 877-888-6647. Call the hotline before seeking in-person care. More information from OH can be found here.
For the latest information and data on COVID-19 in Kentucky visit kycovid19.ky.gov or dial the Kentucky state hotline at 800-722-5725.
For the latest health guidelines and resources from the CDC, visit their website here.
