Coronavirus: how to walk your dog risk-free

Published by Julie de Sortiraparis · Photos by Julie de Sortiraparis · Published on November 1st, 2020 at 04:37 p.m.
France is once again confined. Trips must be as limited as possible to avoid spreading coronavirus, but it is still possible to go out, holding a certification for some reasons only, such as walking your dog. Yet, the transmission risk remains high, so here are recommendations to follow to stay as safe as possible.

With the derogatory trip certificate to copy out or print out, duly filled in and signed to the day, you can keep walking your pet on some conditions, without running the risk of being fined. Yet, there are some rules to observe so that you and your best furry friend are safe.

Walks shall be short and by your place (not beyond 500 meters). It’s banned to walk your dog with several people. One adult per outing is authorized.

Here is some advice from Wamiz for risk-free walks:

  • Walk your dog on a leach, keeping him/her close to you
  • Walk you dog very close to your home to avoid any contact with others
  • Thoroughly respect the 1-meter distance rule between you and passerby, and between your pet and humans: this is a very important point to avoid spreading the virus
  • Bathe your pet if you know he or she’s been in contact with people positive to coronavirus to make sure no droplets from a sneeze remain in the fur.

And if you have coronavirus, try and have someone keep your pet. It could be a neighbor or a relative. Indeed, if you sneeze or cough near your pet, microdroplets can be found in the hair and could be transmitted to other humans, even though cats and dogs cannot have Covid-19 for now. It’s less serious if your pet doesn’t go out, but if there’s a contact with other humans, whether at home or in the street, it could spread the virus.

Practical information
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