Boarding facilities should not be operating their business if they are self-isolating or in enhanced passive follow-up.
- If returning from category 2 countries – they can operate after a negative day 7 result.
- If returning from category 3 countries – they can operate after their enhanced passive follow up finishes on day 14 (assuming the day 7 test was negative).
- Boarding facilities must keep a record of the clients they deal with for the 7 days following enhanced passive follow up to aid track and trace, should they get symptoms/be diagnosed with COVID-19 in this time.
If owners are showing symptoms of COVID-19, are awaiting results or have been diagnosed with COVID-19, they should NOT be taking their pets to boarding facilities, until they are cleared as NEGATIVE to the virus.
It is still advised that boarding facilities have an efficient hygiene protocol in place as this is good practice.
As always, it is standard veterinary advice to wash your hands after stroking, touching, feeding, or cleaning up after an animal.
Upon arrival at the boarding facility:
- Contact with the pet must be kept to a minimum until it has been thoroughly bathed/wiped down.
- Bath the pet immediately/thoroughly wipe it with pet safe damp disposable cloth.
- Cats are particularly sensitive to disinfectants and also fastidiously clean their coats and are therefore at risk of poisoning. If in doubt, shampoo cats using a human baby shampoo and then thoroughly rinse it out.
- Separate the pet from any other animals until it has been bathed.
- All items associated with the pet must be cleaned, disinfected and fully dried, including leash, collar, crate, towels, clothing, vehicle etc. Wash your hands thoroughly, immediately after cleaning these items.
- Bathing pets and cleaning, disinfecting and drying all things associated with them, is likely to be enough to ensure that the virus is not present on the pet’s fur.
- As always, it is standard veterinary advice to wash your hands after stroking, touching, feeding, or cleaning up after an animal.
- All waste such as gloves, wipes, masks etc. must be placed in a plastic bag, tied up, then inserted into a second plastic bag, tied up, and quarantined for 72 hours before being left out for collection.