Volunteers help municipality through difficult times

Pets cared for

When some residential buildings and neighborhoods were locked down, volunteers and grassroots workers looked after animals for pet owners.

Shen Wei lives in a neighborhood in Minhang district that was locked down for 10 days from March 13. She tried everything she could, but her dog stubbornly refused to do at home what it normally does during a walk.

She finally turned to the property management for help, and workers and volunteers in protective suits walked her dog in the rain for long periods.

"They made time to care for a dog. During these challenging days for the city, the approach shown by these workers and volunteers has been heart-warming," said Shen, who used her phone to take footage of them at work.

A pet store owner surnamed Zhu, who had to undergo home quarantine, left animals unattended in her shop, and was greatly relieved to find volunteers willing to feed them.

Other cities have also introduced animal-friendly quarantine policies.

In Shenyang, Liaoning province, unattended pets were sent to specialized "boarding homes" for care after testing negative for the virus, while their owners underwent hotel quarantine.

In Shenzhen, Guangdong province, volunteers replenish food and water for dogs left alone at home, walk them and deal with their waste.

In Tianjin, the control center said owners undergoing hotel quarantine can be accompanied by their pets.

Jiang Ziyi contributed to this story.