PA Updates Guidance On Veterinary Practices During Pandemic

HARRISBURG, PA — The Pennsylvania governor's office has released updated guidance on veterinary practices amid the coronavirus pandemic.

Nonessential services and routine or elective surgical procedures, like spaying and neutering, can resume, Gov. Tom Wolf said Wednesday.

“Veterinary medicine services are life-sustaining businesses and have been permitted to continue to operate throughout the COVID-19 pandemic,” Secretary of Health Dr. Rachel Levine said in a news release. “As veterinarians continue to provide services through the phased reopening, it is important to promote public health practices and align with efforts to stop the spread of COVID-19. The Department of Health, along with the departments of Agriculture and State, appreciate the cooperation of the veterinary community and have made the decision to allow for routine or elective surgical procedures to now take place.”

Veterinarian practices were allowed to stay open during the pandemic for essential services.

Pennsylvania’s Dog Law requires shelters and rescues to have dogs and cats spayed/neutered before adoption. On April 2, the Pennsylvania Department of Agriculture temporarily waived this requirement. Shelters must keep a running list of pets adopted during the COVID-19 pandemic and follow up with adopted pet owners to make sure the procedure takes place.

Pet owners who adopted a pet have up to 120 days from the time of adoption to have a procedure completed.

You can view the full updated guidance here.