Test & Trace Corps Announces Partnership With Wag! To Provide Companion Animal Services for New Yorkers Who Need to Safely Separate
Patients and travelers will receive free dog walking and drop-in services to help them remain safely separated at home or in a hotel to prevent the spread of COVID-19
Oct 26, 2020
The New York City Test & Trace Corps and Mayor’s Office of Animal Welfare today announced a partnership with Wag! to help patients care for their companion animals while they safely separate to prevent the spread of COVID-19. Wag! will provide New Yorkers participating in the Take Care program with free dog walking and other pet drop-in services to ensure they can remain safely separated in a hotel or at home.
“We are offering support to New Yorkers at one of the most vulnerable times in their lives, and we want to make sure their experience with us is as healing as possible. In addition to our Take Care services which include health monitoring, food and help with medications, the program will now offer additional comfort and support to our patients who need help caring for their pets. I want to thank Wag! for their partnership and commitment to supporting New Yorkers during the pandemic,” said NYC Test & Trace Corps Executive Director Dr. Ted Long.
The Take Care program of the NYC Test & Trace Corps ensures that anyone who tests positive for COVID-19 and their close contacts receives all the resources they need to safely separate in a hotel or at home to stop the spread of the virus. The Test & Trace Corps will coordinate Wag!’s companion animal services through a Resource Navigator or when booking a hotel room.
“In order to safely separate, New Yorkers need to know that someone will take care of all their loved ones,” said NYC Test & Trace Corps Take Care Director Dr. Amanda Johnson. “This new partnership removes another barrier to safe separation by giving cases and contacts the peace of mind that their pets will be walked or fed during this critical time.”
“As the #1 community of passionate pet parents, pet caregivers, and furry family members, the entire Wag! team is thrilled to support the Test & Trace Corps and the City of New York to help meet the ever-changing needs of pet parents,” said Patrick McCarthy, Vice President of Marketing at Wag!. “The Wag! Platform is uniquely situated to handle these cases with a white glove approach, including mobile notifications, contactless hand-off, and 24/7 flexibility.”
“Just as we should for all kinds of services, the City of New York is removing barriers to care by understanding that animals are a part of the family. Taking animal needs into account during service planning can improve the overall outcomes for a person’s treatment plan.” said Christine Kim, Senior Community Liaison for the Mayor’s Office of Animal Welfare. “The Mayor’s Office of Animal Welfare is grateful for Wag!’s support of NYC’s people and animals, and to the Humane Society of the United State for connecting us to this innovative partnership opportunity.”
“New York City continues to aim at addressing unique challenges created by COVID 19, and the Humane Society of the United States is pleased to help discover innovative solutions that serve the needs of pet owners and companion animals participating in the Test & Trace program,” said Brian Shapiro, New York State Director for the HSUS. “The community minded partnership between WAG! and New York City will offer resources to help ensure that animals receive proper care during this period.”