The Toronto Zoo is planning to vaccinate its animals against COVID-19
For months, Toronto residents have been highly encouraged to receive their COVID-19 vaccinations, but now, even some of the city’s animals could be getting the jab.
Toronto Zoo CEO Dolf DeJong told CTV News Toronto on Thursday that they’re waiting for Canadian approval of a COVID-19 vaccine currently being administered to American zoo animals.
“What we've seen in accredited zoos in the United States is a vaccine being deployed that is providing a level of protection [against COVID-19] ... We definitely are looking to add this tool to our toolbox and add this extra level of protection for animals as soon as it’s approved for use in Canada,” he said.
DeJong says he’s looking forward to the extra level of protection, especially for the zoo’s more vulnerable animals.
“Animals like gorillas and orangutans, which are so similar to us as humans, in some cases are prone to respiratory illness — adding this extra level of protection is so key,” he said.
“We have North America's oldest orangutan in our care [and] a 29-year-old orangutan who's pregnant.”
DeJong said that the zoo will aim to vaccinate all primates, big cats, swine, bats and mustelidae — a family of mammals including weasels, badgers, otters, ferrets, martens, minks and wolverines, among others.
“There's 140 of them here that are on the list that we want to again get those shots and get them inoculated,” he said.
When the vaccine is approved, DeJong says he is confident that his team will have no issues administering it.
“The great part about the animals in our care is a lot of them are actually trained to receive injections,” he said.
“We know our team and our animals will be ready as soon as those approvals are in place.”
The Toronto Zoo currently requires all eligible visitors to be fully vaccinated against COVID-19.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Bathroom break nearly derails $22 million project at city council meeting
A brief break during Wednesday's city council meeting in Saskatoon nearly cost the city dearly.
Do this once a month and extend your life by up to 10 years. No gym required
Research shows that art experiences, whether as a maker or a beholder, transform our biology by rewiring our brains and triggering the release of neurochemicals, hormones and endorphins.
Mackenzie Hughes 'gutted' after falling short at RBC Canadian Open
Mackenzie Hughes had the dream scenario of winning the RBC Canadian Open in his hometown within reach but then it all slipped away.
Motorcycle doing wheelies, weaving in, out of traffic caught on Highway 417
A motorcycle driver is facing charges after being caught on Highway 417 doing wheelies and weaving in and out of traffic, the Ontario Provincial Police (OPP) says.
Oilers advance to Stanley Cup final by beating Stars in Game 6
The Edmonton Oilers rode their special teams and goaltender to victory on Sunday, beating the Dallas Stars 2-1 to win the National Hockey League's Western Conference and earn a berth in the Stanley Cup final against the Florida Panthers.
'Rotten rock': Climate change altering the face of Canadian mountaineering
The Abbot Pass hut stood for decades in a rugged saddle between two iconic peaks, overlooking the limpid turquoise of Banff National Park's Lake Louise — a destination for alpinists from around the world until the ground melted beneath it and forced its closure.
North Korea says it will stop sending trash balloons as South Korea vows strong retaliation
South Korea said Sunday it’ll soon take retaliatory steps against North Korea over its launch of trash-carrying balloons across the border and other provocations.
'The legacy I want to leave:' Mother with Stage 4 cancer advocates for survivors
People around the world are observing National Cancer Survivor Day, an annual celebration held to honour patients who have been through the often difficult and traumatic experience of living with cancer.
Driver missing after vehicle plunges into the Riviere-des-Prairies between Montreal and Laval
Emergency response crews are on the scene Sunday morning after a vehicle plunged into the Riviere des Prairies in Montreal.