COVID-19 Patient’s Dog Spared From Execution in Myanmar  

By Zaw Zaw Htwe 3 April 2020

Yangon – The life of a one-year-old dog belonging to COVID-19 patients in Bago Region’s Pauk Khaung Township has been spared after it was marked out for execution.

On Thursday, U Tun Tun Oo, the regional minister for immigration and human resources, told the media that Jackie was due to be executed because the family of four was forced into hospital isolation after testing positive for coronavirus.

U Thet Min Zaw, the township parliamentarian, told The Irrawaddy on Friday that the minister had allowed the German shepherd dog to be rescued.

Jackie was left alone in the house when the family was sent to hospital for isolation.

Ko Aung Kyaw Moe, the founder of the stray dog shelter Anada Myitta in Bago’s Pyay Township, told The Irrawaddy that he had received permission from the regional government to look after the dog.

He said he had planned a separate kennel for 14 days.

“I also want to study if the virus can infect both humans and animals,” said Ko Aung Kyaw Moe.

Jackie’s owner is a Pauk Khaung administrator. He and his 10-year-old son, eight-year-old daughter and 18-year-old niece are believed to have been infected with the virus from his 45-year-old wife who lives in Yangon and tested COVID-19 positive on Tuesday.

Eleven people, including four parliamentarians, who attended a meeting with the administrator, have not been tested for coronavirus and are under home quarantine, U Thet Min Zaw said.

Nine others at the meeting are in a Pauk Khaung quarantine center.