Denver Zoo taking steps to protect some of its animals from COVID-19

The Denver Zoo will begin administering COVID-19 vaccines to some of its animals as early as next week, the zoo confirmed Tuesday.

While no specific distribution plan has been made, zoo officials said they will prioritize vaccinating animals that are most susceptible to catching the virus, including primates and carnivores like gorillas, tigers, mink and otters.

“The safety and well-being of our animals is always a top priority at Denver Zoo, and there is evidence that primates, carnivores and other mammals can be affected by COVID-19,” the zoo said in a statement. “These vaccinations are a part of our overall strategy to protect our animals.”

Several animals in zoos and sanctuaries have tested positive for COVID-19 over the last year, likely due to contact with infected zoo keepers, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The first zoo animal to contract COVID-19 was a tiger at a zoo in New York in April 2020.

The Denver Zoo will receive its vaccines from the veterinary vaccine company Zoetis, which developed a COVID-19 vaccine specifically for animal use. The Zoetis vaccine does not divert any resources from the development or distribution of COVID-19 vaccines for humans.

The zoo said the decision was made after an evaluation of the safety of the Zoetis vaccine, which included consultations with other zoos and the veterinary medical community.

To assure safety, all animals at the Denver Zoo that receive the vaccine will also be closely monitored after the dose, the zoo said.

Zoetis is donating around 11,000 doses of its vaccine to more than 80 zoos, conservatories, sanctuaries, academic institutions and government organizations across 27 states. The vaccine has been authorized for experimental use on a case-by-case basis by the U.S. Department of Agriculture.

The vaccine deployment comes after the San Diego Zoo requested a COVID-19 vaccine from Zoetis in January when multiple gorillas at the zoo tested positive for the virus.

Zoetis’ first shipment of COVID-19 vaccines was sent to the Oakland Zoo in Northern California last week on June 29. The vaccines were distributed to the zoo’s highest-risk animals the next morning.

“We are proud that our work can help zoo animals at risk of COVID-19,” said Mahesh Kumar, senior vice president of Global Biologics at Zoetis.

“The COVID-19 pandemic put a spotlight on the important connection between animal health and human health, and we continue to monitor for emerging infectious diseases that can impact animals as well as people.”

Though Zoetis began developing its vaccine in response to a dog contracting the virus in Hong Kong last year, Kumar said it isn’t necessary for pets or livestock to receive the vaccine.

While dogs and cats can contract COVID-19, the number of cases among these animals is very small in proportion to their large populations and close contact with humans, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

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