The COVID-19 crisis has passed but based on guidance from health authorities like the CDC, travelling with a dog was generally considered safe throughout the pandemic, since the risk of dogs contracting or spreading the virus that causes COVID-19 was consistently found to be low.
What Health Authorities Actually Said About Dogs and COVID-19
The CDC confirmed that the virus causing COVID-19 could spread from people to animals during close contact, but the risk of animals spreading it back to people remained low throughout the pandemic.
Serious illness in pets from COVID-19 was described as extremely rare, and most infected animals that did show symptoms experienced only mild illness that resolved on its own.
There was no evidence that the virus could spread to people through a pet's skin, fur, or hair, which meant normal handling and everyday interaction with dogs carried minimal risk.
People who weren't personally sick with COVID-19 were advised they didn't need to isolate from their pets, though maintaining general hygiene habits was still recommended.
What Made Traveling With a Dog Safer During That Period
Keeping dogs on a leash and supervised at all times reduced their exposure to other animals and unfamiliar environments during trips.
Avoiding contact between pets and stray or unfamiliar animals lowered the risk of exposure to other illnesses circulating at the time, not just COVID-19 specifically.
Practicing regular hand hygiene before and after handling a dog, especially in public or shared spaces, remained a simple, effective precaution.
Veterinary guidance emphasized not bathing or wiping pets with chemical disinfectants or alcohol-based products, since these could harm the animal rather than provide any real protection.
General Travel Safety Considerations That Still Apply
Keeping vaccinations current and carrying a veterinary health certificate remains standard advice for any pet travel, pandemic-related or otherwise.
Frequent stops during road trips allow dogs to stretch, hydrate, and relieve themselves safely.
Pets should never be left alone in a parked vehicle, since temperatures inside a car can become dangerous within minutes regardless of the season.
For air travel specifically, direct flights and properly ventilated carriers reduce stress and risk for the animal during the journey.
The Overall Takeaway
According to the guidance that emerged throughout the pandemic, travelling with a dog was not considered a significant COVID-19 risk, provided normal hygiene and pet safety practices were followed. Since the acute crisis phase has passed, the more relevant safety considerations today centre on general pet travel best practices, vaccinations, supervision, hydration, and proper transport conditions, rather than pandemic-specific precautions.
Sources
What You Should Know about COVID-19 and Pets, CDC: https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/animals/pets.html
COVID-19 and pets: What you should know, UCHealth Today: https://www.uchealth.org/today/covid-19-and-pets-what-you-should-know/
Pet Travel Safety, CDC: https://www.cdc.gov/healthy-pets/travel/index.html