As the COVID-19 (Coronavirus 2019) becomes more prevalent in the United States and now in Maryland and Washington DC, all families are understandably seeking assurances from local leaders and businesses that they are prepared for every conceivable possibility and everything possible is being done to protect the residents in our area.
We will continue to exceed all OSHA standards to maintain a safe and healthy environment to our animals, families, and employees; it is one of our many facility strengths. Our response to COVID-19 is no different. At this time, we are fully operational and will continue until a change is deemed necessary by local, state or national health professionals.
We take the sanitation of our facility very seriously and constantly work to maintain clean, healthy spaces for our employees, customers and animals. We use top of the line, kennel-designed disinfectants (256 Disinfectant among others) to clean and sanitize our full facility at least twice daily. We promote frequent handwashing, use air filtration systems throughout the facility, provide resources and a work environment that promotes personal hygiene and wipe down all public surfaces using disinfectant multiple times each day. We have a strict vaccination policy and act conservatively when it comes to illness on our staff (if you're not feeling well, don't come in!).
The best thing we can do at this point is to remain informed and prepared to deal with any situation that arises. With so many variables, it will be critical for all of us to remain focused on our role as caretakers of your wonderful pets, stay calm, and use whatever preventative measures we have available to help ensure the safety of everyone involved with our facility. Please do what you believe to be safest for you and your family.
We will continue to make facility-wide changes as needed. You have our commitment that our focus during this concerning time is on preparation and continued safety for all our pets, families, and employees.
Information and updates related to COVID–19 can be found on the Center for Disease Control’s website (CDC) (https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/about/index.html).
We ask all employees and patrons to cooperate in taking steps to reduce the transmission of communicable diseases in the workplace. There is currently no vaccine to prevent coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19). The best way to prevent illness is to avoid being exposed to this virus. However, as a reminder, CDC always recommends everyday preventive actions to help prevent the spread of respiratory diseases, including:
- Wash your hands often with soap and water for at least 20 seconds, especially after going to the bathroom; before eating; and after blowing your nose, coughing, or sneezing. If soap and water are not readily available, use an alcohol-based hand sanitizer with at least 60% alcohol. Always wash hands with soap and water if hands are visibly dirty.
- Stay home when you are sick.
- Avoid close contact with people who are sick.
- Avoid touching your eyes, nose, and mouth.
- Cover your cough or sneeze with a tissue, then throw the tissue in the trash.
- Clean and disinfect frequently touched objects and surfaces using a regular household cleaning spray or wipe.
- Practice social distancing. The recommended distance to stay away from others is six feet.
It is critical that employees do not report to work and patrons do not enter the facility while they are experiencing respiratory symptoms such as fever, cough, shortness of breath, sore throat, runny or stuffy nose, body aches, headache, chills or fatigue. Currently, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommends that employees remain at home until at least 24 hours after they are free of fever (100 degrees F or 37.8 degrees C) or signs of a fever without the use of fever-reducing medications.
Sincerely,
The ADC Team
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