Pet food supply during COVID-19
Are you concerned about the impact of covid-19 on the availability and quality of your pet’s food? At the PFIAA, we are working to ensure that pet food supply remains uninterrupted during the covid-19 pandemic. We are also ensuring that the safety and quality of the food you rely on remains unchanged. To find out which manufactures in Australia are members and supported by our efforts, visit the PFIAA website .
What about their food?covidandourpets
COVID-19 is a human condition, but just the same as the supply of our own food is in focus, know that the ongoing availability of pet food is a high priority. Our job is to ensure that our pet’s bowls continue being filled, and it’s critically important that the food they eat continues to be high-quality, safe and nutritious .
There is plenty of food to go around, and the PFIAA will continue to ensure that our pets are kept front-of-mind, so they get what they need to survive and truly thrive.
We fly-the-flag for pets with government to ensure they have ongoing food supply, to support their health and wellbeing. Good nutrition keeps our pets active and healthy, and fuels growth, maintenance, repair and ongoing performance. When we serve the best we can in their bowls, we’ll get the best out of them.
Never before has their welfare impacted so much on ours. The support and joy that our pets bring is irreplaceable and of great comfort, particularly to those who may feel socially isolated during this time. This is why you need to know pet food quality and supply is being taken seriously.
PFIAA members will continue to be audited against the Australian Standard, regardless of the COVID-19 pandemic. The PFIAA use a third party to audit members for compliance against the Australian Standard – Manufacturing and Marketing of pet food AS5812. This ensures our ongoing promise to maintain the hygiene practices and food safety checks for you our customers, and our pets as consumers.
An uninterrupted supply of good nutrition is our ongoing aim. We are working with the Australian Government to ensure pet food continues to be produced and is available to all who rely on it.
Does my pet pose a risk to me or others?
From the information provided by the World Health Organisation (WHO) and the World Organisation for Animal Health (OIE) have published viral transmission remains human-to-human. Research is continuing into the relationship between covid-19 and animals, so if you feel your pet is unwell, we recommend you visit your vet.
As we know most transmission is through contact with saliva, coughing or sneezing from a person with COVID-19, another possible way we can contract the virus is by touching objects such as cups, doorknobs, benches etc in our environment. So, does that mean we should be wary of our pets?
Our pet’s fur (or plumage of feathers) is soft and porous making it harder to pass on any viral particles through a simple touch or petting. We need to practice good hygiene every day with our pets (COVID or not) by thoroughly washing our hands with warm soapy water before and after play. Good hygienic practices include bathing and regular grooming, cleaning food bowls and keeping all bedding clean. It’s also important to remember not to share food with our pets and to prevent them from licking us.
Our pets are providing the much-needed company while we stay home, with many of our activities restricted or modified.
More than ever before, our global call-to-action is to stay safe and look after one another. Be conscientious when it comes to staying at home wherever possible and maintaining that special relationship you have with our pets. Whether they bark, meow, squawk or twitch their nose, let’s keep each other safe and healthy.