Boris Johnson has denied personally intervening to authorise the evacuation of dogs from Afghanistan.
The prime minister said claims that he had ordered the controversial airlift himself were “total rhubarb”.
Johnson has come under fresh pressure after the emergence of a leaked email suggesting that the PM had “authorised” the evacuation of animals from former Royal Marine Paul “Pen” Farthing’s Nowzad charity as the Taliban re-took control of the country.
The mission coincided with Operation Pitting, which saw the RAF manage to evacuate thousands of British citizens trapped in Kabul.
Asked about his involvement during a visit to Wales, the PM said: “This whole thing is total rhubarb. I was very proud of what our armed services did with Op Pitting and it was an amazing thing to move 15,000 people out of Kabul in the way that we did.
“I thought it was additionally really good that we were able to help those vets who came out as well.”
Asked if he directly intervened in the process, Johnson replied: “Absolutely not. The military always prioritised human beings and that was quite right, and I think that we should be incredibly proud of Op Pitting and what is achieved.”
The row reignited on Wednesday when the Commons foreign affairs committee published an email in which a Foreign Office official said “the PM has just authorised” the animal evacuation.
Shadow defence secretary John Healey said: “Once again, the Prime Minister has been caught out lying about what he has been doing and deciding.
“He should never have given priority to flying animals out of Afghanistan while Afghans who worked for our armed forces were left behind.”
But on Thursday, the prime minister’s official spokesman said the Foreign Office official who sent the email had been mistaken.
He said: “It’s not uncommon in Whitehall for a decision to be interpreted or portrayed as coming directly from the Prime Minister even when that’s not the case and it’s our understanding that’s what happened in this instance. We appreciate it was a frenetic time for those officials dealing with this situation.”
The first dog in the UK has tested positive for Covid-19 after apparently catching the virus from its owners. Following a series of tests, the infection was confirmed at the Animal and Plant Health Agency (APHA) laboratory in Weybridge, Surrey, on November 3.
This isn’t the first animal to become infected with coronavirus though. In 2020, a cat caught Covid from its owners. The infection was again confirmed at the APHA laboratory.
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There’s no evidence that the infected dog was involved in the transmission of the disease to its owners or that pets or domestic animals are able to transmit the virus to people.
The pup was undergoing treatment for another unrelated condition when the virus was detected, and is now recovering at home.
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The dog’s owners tested positive for Covid-19, so it’s believed the dog contracted the virus from its owners. This is the first confirmed case of a dog catching Covid-19 in the UK.
So, should other pet owners be worried about their furry friends catching coronavirus?
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What have studies and experts indicated about coronavirus in pets?
Dr Katherine Russell, consultant medical epidemiologist at the UK Health Security Agency, said: “Covid-19 is predominantly spread from person to person but in some situations the virus can spread from people to animals.
“In line with general public health guidance, you should wash your hands regularly, including before and after contact with animals.”
Scientists in the Netherlands have found that coronavirus is common in pet cats and dogs where their owners have Covid-19.
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Scientists from the University of Glasgow have also researched the prominence of Covid in cats specifically. Sadly, one of the cats the researchers identified with Covid – a four month-old female Ragdoll kitten – died from lung damage as a result of the virus.
Should pet owners be worried?
Most pets will not experience severe symptoms of Covid-19, so owners shouldn’t worry too much.
Commenting after the most recent dog case, the UK’s chief veterinary officer Christine Middlemiss said: “It is very rare for dogs to be infected and they will usually only show mild clinical signs and recover within a few days.”
However, while cases of owners passing on Covid-19 to their pets presents a “negligible” risk to public health, the scientists said there is a “potential risk” that domestic animals could act as a “reservoir” for coronavirus and reintroduce it to humans. Research continues in that area.
How can you tell if your pet has Covid?
Most of the small number of animals that have tested positive for Covid-19 have either not had symptoms, or had mild symptoms that include:
How do they test animals for Covid?
Covid-19 testing for animals requires swabs of the nose, throat and the conjunctiva of the eyes. Covid-19 tests for animals aren’t widely available because they’re being prioritised for use during scientific studies or when an animal is a very high risk (e.g. an endangered species). Therefore Covid tests for animals are given on a case by case scenario.
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If you think your pet has covid, contact your vet for more guidance.
How can you keep your pets safe?
Keep following general Covid advice such as washing hands and self-isolating when necessary. The RPSCA advises that you can keep your pets safe by avoiding contact with them if you’ve caught the virus. If you’ve tested positive, avoid petting, snuggling, kissing, sharing food and sleeping in the same bed with them until the virus is gone.
If possible, get another house member to take care of the pet. If you must be in contact with the pet, wear a mask and wash your hands before interacting with them. Masks should not be put on pets.
The pandemic has kept us apart from loved ones and friends, heightening our need for social interaction and touch. Since dogs provide us with much of what humans crave, like companionship, friendship and snuggles on demand, it’s no wonder the pandemic has heralded in a boom of new dog owners.
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Olivia Irvine, customer care manager, Purplebone
No one knows this quite so well as Olivia Irvine, customer care manager at London’s leading dog grooming specialist, Purplebone, where she’s been working for the past six years and now manages everything across two sites, one in Notting Hill and the other on Hillgate Street in Kensington. Purplebone was founded by couple Julian Victoria and Jacob van Nieuwkoop as a retail and grooming parlour 11 years ago, after they were disappointed with the existing grooming options available for their four dogs.
Watch to see Irvine and Purplebone’s groomers in action – as well as their adorable clientele
Life at Purplebone is as fun and full of excitement as you’d expect as bulldogs and bernedoodles (a popular Bernese mountain dog and poodle cross), cockapoos and cavapoos, lurchers and labs trot through the salon’s doors daily for a range of treatments, from a simple wash and tidy to an allover puppy groom to a blueberry facial – a favourite with bulldog clients.
It’s the go-to destination for the much-loved dogs belonging to a slew of celebs like the Beckhams, the Lampards, the Barlows, Alan Carr, Lily Allen, Middle Eastern royals, as well as the rest of us mere mortals. Irvine works alongside eight grooming staff – including two new hires since the pandemic started – to accommodate as many as 35 dogs a day across both locations.
If you think grooming is an indulgence for over-pampered pooches, think again: Purplebone helps to care for dogs’ health, with ultrasound teeth cleaning, nail grinding, and, most crucially, detangling knots and ridding skin of any debris that’s burrowed in, a common – and potentially problematic – issue known as matting.
“Matting is probably the most important aspect of dog grooming,” Irvine tells us. “Since lockdown, I’ve come to realise dog grooming is a necessity – it isn’t a luxury.”
Most owners don’t consider their dogs’ coats and hair type when purchasing pooches, but they should: breeds like cavapoos and cockapoos, susceptible to matting, can experience extreme discomfort as a result. When knotted hair gets too tightly wound, it can pull on the dog’s skin, leading to rashes, scratching of the area and debris getting pushed further into the skin and causing a whole host of other issues.
There’s no shortage of comedy stories when your clients are on four legs: some dogs come in for love, lavishing their masked groomers with kisses throughout their sessions. Others, especially larger breeds like Great Danes, come to party (“they start off timid but by the end they just want love and loads of cuddles. They go mad, they run around,” says Irvine), while some particularly gifted groomers are able to encourage their dogs to snooze right on the grooming table. Fun fact: groomers are talented dog whisperers, but not-so-skilled when it comes to handling doggie accessories.
“Groomers are absolutely terrible with putting on harnesses – they cannot figure it out for the life of them,” Irvine says.
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Going cashless with Square Technology
When the pandemic forced Purplebone’s doors to close on March 19, 2020, in some ways, the business was ready for it: the grooming service had gone cashless using Square six months prior to the first lockdown. Clients save their card on file, it’s charged remotely and it minimises contact between clients and staff.
“Square had a huge influence on that: going cashless seemed unrealistic at the time but people are a lot more open to it now. It’s a lot easier,” explains Irvine.
“When we came back, I realised how useful the contactless reader was. The fact that we could take everything out to them, and they could still pay – really big for us,” Irvine says. Square’s contactless reader allows her to multitask: one client can be collecting and making payments outside, while another is shopping for treats indoors.
The Square Register is another bonus: not only is it sleek and lovely to look at, but it’s user and client-friendly, too.
“The client can see everything that I’m doing, and that’s a huge benefit with Square,” explains Irvine.
In lockdown 1.0, Purplebone’s role turned educational: the team sent out helpful emails to clients to guide them through brushing and grooming at home, and made some informational online videos. Irvine spent her days answering phone calls and helping clients remotely.
“I care about these dogs. It’s really important that clients had the support from us to teach them from afar,” she says.
When the salons reopened in May, the strictest safety measures were in place: PPE, splitting staff out between both locations and carefully marking out all areas for social distancing.
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Square’s contactless reader
The biggest change, however, was for clients, who were no longer able to come into the salon to drop off their dogs, but had to wait outside, which required patience and trust on their part.
Purplebone’s role in the community also shifted: in the first lockdown, it wasn’t considered an “essential” business, for grooming or retail. Purplebone also sells a range of chewing treats, as well as three different shampoos and a conditioner, to both local and international customers.
From the second lockdown, Purplebone has been deemed “essential” – no surprise when the business had to launch a temporary service called the “Covid-19 groom,” to help dogs suffering from severe matting, who needed their hair completely shaved off for their own welfare.
The pandemic hasn’t just been responsible for a dog ownership boom. It’s changed how humans rely on pets: for many of us, our dogs have become our reason to get up each morning, or to leave the house for a walk every day. It’s not just dogs who are dependent on humans, anymore: we’re much more reliant on our pets for emotional support now.
“Personally, my role has changed,” explains Irvine. “I now find myself on the educational side, calming a lot of our clients. If the owner is nervous, the dog is nervous.” Irvine has also noticed a lot more separation anxiety in puppies who are used to being home with their owners 24/7, and who haven’t had a chance to experience much alone-time or socialisation with other dogs.
Purplebone has more new clients than ever before, and those clients return more frequently for treatments now that they realise what a difference it makes.
“A lot of our clients came back and said: ‘I didn’t realise how hard your job was’. People did think of us as a luxury, but now there’s a greater appreciation for our groomers,” Irvine notes.
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