The COVID vaccine has now found its way into zoo animals.
Zoetis, a pharmaceutical company that produces vaccines and medicines for animals, will donate 11,000 doses of a COVID vaccine for animals to 70 zoos across the country.
The Oakland Zoo announced late last week they have "assembled their veterinary and animal care teams to begin vaccinations of their highest at risk animals."
The Denver Zoo also looks to vaccinate 100 lucky animals before the end of summer, with big cats and apes to receive the shot first.
CNN: "Vaccinating animals against COVID, is it necessary?"
— Zach Bauder (@zachbauder) July 7, 2021
CNN explains why zoo animals are now getting vaccinated. pic.twitter.com/agewP6aWqu
Zoo Miami's communications director Ron Magill, when asked if this was a good idea, had this to say: "I think it may be inevitable...It's in the experimental stages now...It's a different type of vaccine...Normally this would become a normal part of a preventative medicine program."
Several types of animals "have been noted to contract the virus. So those are the ones who are initially protecting to see if in fact the vaccine will work" Magill added.
"It's important to note that none of these zoo animals have died or even experienced serious complications from contracting the virus."
Magill explains that minks appear to be the only animal to have died from COVID, but "it's still important to have the vaccine."
There is a reported difference between the animal vaccine and the human one, but Magill doesn't know the exact variation.
"Once this is proven to be relatively safe, like the other vaccines, it should be common protocol for all zoos."
This means that animals and humans alike have been subjected to unreliably tested COVID vaccines.