With pet owners worrying about who would care for their animals if they are quarantined, some companies and organizations in Japan are trying to provide relief. One insurance firm is even starting to watch over dogs and cats for free, but not all companies in the sector are so eager to get involved.
An animal shelter in Gunma Prefecture received an email from an elderly woman in March who had come down with a fever. She didn't have any immediate family nearby, so she wanted to leave her 17-year-old cat with the shelter if she was infected with the coronavirus and had to self-isolate.
Although the woman's fever disappeared within a few days and there was no need for anyone else to take care of the cat, the shelter decided against accepting pets under such circumstances.