Three Curious Cats Meet Their Fateful End in Harbin
Picture this: a gloomy, snow-covered morning in Harbin, China. A woman who had been knocked off her feet by COVID‑19 on September 21 finds herself chatting with her furry companions—three cats who, like the rest of us, caught the case too. But instead of a comforting cuddle, the local health team made a decision that sparked a social media storm: the cats were euthanised.
Why Did They Get the “No‑Go” Status?
- The local animal control folks claimed there’s no way to treat animals with the novel coronavirus. Treating them would have been a logistical nightmare.
- “They could keep shedding the virus in the room for a long time,” one community worker mused, hinting that the cats were a potential lingering party invitee.
- Dr Rachael Tarlinton, a virology professor, pointed out, “It’s hard to imagine the cats causing a full‑blown re‑infection event for their owner.” She stressed that surface contamination is rarely the main route.
- Overall, scientists still say pets don’t play a major role in spreading the virus to humans.
Public Outcry and the “Euthanasia Road Sign”
“I can’t wrap my head around this!” one Weibo user sighed. They described the move as a “crude, simplistic and lazy form of management” that was a way to dodge responsibility.
By September 29, the Beijing News had taken its own story down from social media, but they tried to make a point by posting a commentary that urged authorities to set clear standards on how to handle infected pets.
Experts Get Their Say
Dr Feng Zijian, researcher with the Chinese Centre for Disease Control, echoed the euthanasia stance—advising that cats who keep testing positive should be dealt with swiftly.
Meanwhile, Dr Vanessa Barrs from City University of Hong Kong said the risk is low. “There are no confirmed cat‑to‑human cases in the whole pandemic, unlike the mink situation in Europe,” she said. “Pet cats and dogs are another ball game—alternative solutions are possible.”
Bottom Line
In a country that’s known for tightening the screws—in the name of public safety, even when there are just a handful of cases—this episode shows how quickly an animal’s life can become a dataset in the war against COVID‑19. The debate is still simmering: should the furry friends get a second chance, or does their presence come with a cost too high to bear?
