While plenty of businesses have moved online because of coronavirus restrictions, some things just need that human touch.
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Our pets, for example.
Gone are the days of veterinarian waiting rooms packed with pet owners chatting about their furry friends or damping down the odd ill-mannered scuffle.
Today, waiting rooms are empty and vets are practising social distancing just like everyone else — but not with pets, just with owners.
At Shepparton Vet Clinics, which has clinics at Wanganui Rd in Shepparton and on Melbourne Rd in Kialla, pet owners phone for an appointment, drive to the clinic and park outside. Then they phone to say they have arrived and a vet or vet nurse comes out to collect the animal.
The vet then examines the animal in the clinic while the owner waits in the car. When the consultation is complete the vet takes the animal back outside with any medicines and leaves it in its cage or tied to a post with the medicine on the bench for the owner to collect.
Then a short discussion can take place at a distance between vet and pet owner. The patient is placed back in the car and driven home. Job done — at a distance.
Veterinarian Riana Fitzpatrick said the situation was not ideal, but it was a way of dealing with the restrictions.
“It's less efficient and we miss the conversations. It also puts more strain on our staff, but there's been a positive reaction from our pet owners. Most are appreciative and understand that it's necessary,” Dr Fitzpatrick said.
She said some consultations could be done via telemedicine on the internet and pet owners were then advised whether they needed to come in or not.
She said pets’ lives had changed dramatically too.
“Many have gone from being alone for nine hours a day to now being smothered with attention and walked five times a day. I think it's good to remember that pets need their own space too,” she said.
Dr Fitzpatrick said a report that a Pomeranian dog in Hong Kong had tested "weakly positive" to coronavirus after its owner was found to be positive had caused concern among some Shepparton pet owners.
“There are no recorded cases of transmission from animal to human. At this stage there is no evidence that pets play a role in the spread of the disease,” she said.
However, Dr Fitzpatrick said COVID-19 was an evolving situation and she recommended following hand-hygiene rules after handling pets, and avoiding sharing food or allowing pets to lick peoples’ faces or mouths.
She advised that pet owners who were or may become infected with COVID-19 should restrict close contact with their pets.
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