COVID-19 Response
Pets, Community, and Compassion: Our Action Plan for the COVID-19 Crisis
In these most challenging times, our team at the GAAP, in partnership with Veterinarians International, is dedicated to assisting those near Valdivia, Chile in meeting their basic needs during the COVID-19 crisis. We are reaching out to the elderly, disabled, and the sick to:
Deliver food, medicine, and other essential supplies
Bring medication and food for pets
Utilize veterinary telemedicine as a screening tool and attend to emergency patients as needed, including offering transportation of animals as needed
Walk dogs, clean litter pans, and care for pets whose owners become sick
Create a line of communication for those in need to request assistance
Why is this such a critical time to offer support in Chile?
Even for those who do not become ill here in Chile, the devastating effects of the COVID-19 pandemic will undoubtedly be compounded by the protests that have rocked the country and its economy for the past five months. Learn more about the current social unrest in Chile and its impact on the country’s economy.
If you want up-to-date information about the number and location of cases in Chile, visit the Ministry of Health
If you are able and would like to join us in supporting those in need, please click the button below. Any amount will make a difference.
Veterinarians Elena and Angélica are careful to follow all safety protocols while preparing packages of basic supplies for animals whose families need assistance during the COVID-19 crisis.
Resources:
A great deal of misinformation is circulating about pets, so we want to set the record straight. The general recommendations for pets are quite simple:
So far, you can continue to walk your dog as normal (it’s good for them and you!), but stay away from groups of people and stay up-to-date with government regulations. In some communities they are only permitting owners to take their dogs out briefly.
Wash your hands after touching, feeding, or cleaning up after your pets, as a routine hygiene measure
If you become sick with COVID-19, it is best to have a family member or friend take care of your pet, but if you can’t do so, the recommendations are to completely avoid direct contact with your pet and practice regular hygiene after touching pet food or supplies
To stay up to date on recommendations for your pets, be sure to follow local recommendations, but also, here are some great resources based on science:
Additional resources of interest (for our human friends):
Taking care of your mental health in the face of uncertainty from the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention
Building resiliency in the face of a crisis from Harvard Business Review
