An Official Website of the Commonwealth of Kentucky
SARS-CoV-2 is the coronavirus that leads to the illness COVID-19.
Public health experts encourage people ages 12 and older to get a COVID-19 vaccination.
If you are immunocompromised and personal vaccination is not a possibility, consider having someone else assist with carcass handling.
Consider wearing a face covering and eye protection if approaching a wounded deer and when field dressing a deer. As an alternative to traditional field dressing, consider breaking down the animal without ever opening the body cavity (i.e. the gutless approach to field dressing).
There is no evidence at this time that animals, including deer, play a significant role in the spread of SARS-CoV-2 to people, but caution is recommended. Public health experts encourage hunters to practice good hygiene when processing animals by following these food safety recommendations:
When handling and cleaning game:
When finished handling and cleaning game:
Please contact our Information Center at 1-800-858-1549 or Info.Center@ky.gov if you have any questions not answered below.
If you found an injured animal, contact a permitted wildlife rehabilitator. A licensed rehabilitator can evaluate and treat an animal to release back into a natural habitat. If you have found an injured deer, contact the county's regional biologist.
SARS-CoV-2 is the coronavirus that leads to the illness COVID-19. The recently tested deer in Ohio were positive for the virus (SARS-CoV-2) but were not displaying clinical signs of infection, such as respiratory distress.
It's unclear at this time. However, it's possible the deer were exposed to the virus through people, the environment, other deer or other animal species.
SARS-CoV-2 infections have been reported in a small number of animal species worldwide, mostly in animals that had close contact with a person with COVID-19. These included dogs, cats, tigers, lions, snow leopards, otters, gorillas and minks.
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), the risk of animals spreading SARS-CoV-2 to people is considered to be low.
Kentucky Fish and Wildlife has submitted 20 deer samples for antibody testing. Results are pending. Animal testing does not reduce the availability of COVID-19 tests for people.
Practices such as baiting and feeding that congregate white-tailed deer and other wildlife are commonly associated with an increased risk of disease transmission. Until more is known about the transmission of the virus in white-tailed deer, homeowners and hunters are encouraged to avoid practices intended to congregate or increase deer densities either outside the home or in hunting situations.
At present, public health experts say there is no evidence that people can get SARS-CoV-2 by eating meat from an animal infected with the virus, including wild game hunted in the United States. Cooking meat and organs, such as the heart, liver and kidneys, to the recommended temperature (165 degrees or higher) greatly reduces any potential risk of consuming potential pathogens.
If you, your family, or your pet(s) are exposed, contact your doctor, the local health department, and/or a local animal control officer.
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