A copy of this policy will be given to all foster carers and must be completed with the relevant details
Foster pets sometimes bring infectious diseases into a foster home, some of which are
difficult to get rid of in the environment. These infectious diseases can be spread to other pets
and people. To help prevent the spread of disease, it is important to vaccinate all pets,
isolate pets who have infectious diseases, be diligent about cleaning and
disinfection, and avoid disease transmission.
Spread of Disease
- Spread of disease can be from pet to pet.
- Pets can also spread disease to people, and vice versa. So, preventing the spread of disease in
foster homes is also about protecting people. Remember that children and
immunocompromised individuals, such as HIV patients, or people undergoing
chemotherapy are more susceptible to disease. - Some infectious diseases are species specific and cannot spread to a pet of a different species,
nor to people, but others are not.
New Foster Pets: The First Two Weeks
Even though the risk of getting sick is lower than it would be in a shelter or
rescue setting, extra precautions should be taken during the first two weeks that new foster pets
are in your home. This is the time that they are most likely to become sick, even if they
initially appear healthy. It is best to isolate them in an area of the home that is easy to clean
and disinfect.
Diseases Commonly Seen in Rescue Group Pets
- If foster pets do become sick, the most common conditions tend to be respiratory
infections. In dogs, Kennel Cough Symptoms may include sneezing, nasal discharge, eye discharge,
congestion, and/or coughing. - Less common diseases is canine parvovirus. Canine parvovirus can cause severe vomiting
and diarrhoea, both of which are important to address as quickly as possible. - These diseases vary in how easy they are to get rid of in the environment. For
example, some viruses are easily killed by regular household cleaners, and others cannot be killed
without using a special type of disinfectant or a dilution of household bleach. The good news is
that the most common diseases tend to be easy to destroy. We won’t always know which infectious
agents, if any, we are dealing with when a foster pet first starts showing symptoms. It is best to
err on the side of caution, and take precautions to
prevent the spread of disease
How to Prevent the Spread of Disease –
Vaccinate Pets
One of the most effective ways to prevent the spread of disease between the same species is to
vaccinate pets. Some vaccines provide essentially full protection against disease. If an adult dog
is fully protected against a certain disease, and they get exposed to it, they will not get sick,
and will not spread it to others.
Some vaccines provide partial protection against disease. These vaccines decrease the chance that a
pet will catch an infectious disease, and they decrease the severity of disease if a pet does get
sick. A pet will recover faster, which means that he or she may be contagious to others, but for
shorter periods of time.
Foster pets should be vaccinated, prior to arrival to an animal shelter or rescue group, before
they go into their new foster homes. Resident pets in a foster home should also be current on their
vaccinations before foster pets are welcomed into the home.
Isolate Pets Who Have Infectious Disease
To help prevent the spread of disease from sick pets to healthy ones, isolate pets who have
infectious disease.
Sick pets should be isolated in an area of the home that is easily cleaned and disinfected. The
room should contain the supplies being used for the sick pet, nothing else. These supplies should
also be easy to clean and disinfect
Avoid Disease Transmission
Some infectious diseases can be transmitted through the air. Kennel Cough in dogs is a good
example. Viruses and bacteria are coughed out, become airborne, and can travel long distances to be
inhaled by a healthy dog.
To help avoid disease transmission through the air, keep the doors closed to isolation areas and
keep healthy pets as far away from the isolation area as possible.
Avoid transmission through body secretions such as nasal discharge, saliva, vomit, diarrhoea and
blood.
All surfaces and objects that a sick pet has come into direct contact should be disinfected and
access to potentially infected areas should be avoided where possible.
Contact numbers for UK Spaniel Rescue:
Trustees:
Andrea Phillips (Lancashire) – 07935 652999
Lisa Regan (Lancashire) – 07718 173039
Caroline Lewis (Powys) – 07738 715195
Babs Kinnear (Inverness) – 07828 812009
Your adoption co-ordinator:
Your designated behaviourist:
The person responsible for this policy/procedure is: Andrea Phillips
This policy has been approved by the Board of Trustees
Policy approved date 22nd October 2024
This policy is reviewed on an annual basis by the Board of Trustees
Next review due: October 2025