Zoo Animals Receive COVID-19 Vaccine

The Great Plains Zoo (GPZ) is in the process of vaccinating our most susceptible animals against COVID-19.

Zoetis, a veterinary health supply company, has developed a vaccine against the virus that causes COVID-19 and is working with zoos across the country to distribute their limited supply to vaccinate the most at-risk species as soon as possible.

The GPZ veterinary staff worked closely with keepers to deliver the first dose of the vaccine to many of our species considered at risk of COVID-19, including primates, large cats, and many other at-risk species.

GPZ staff has delivered 57 vaccines in just over a week. All animals that received the first dose, will get a second dose about three weeks after the initial injection. As part of the experimental nature of this vaccine, we are reporting all its use and any adverse effects to the manufacturer, Zoetis. Fortunately, there were no significant negative effects from the first round of vaccines.

"It is a real relief to get our most sensitive animals vaccinated against SARS-CoV-2,” said GPZ veterinarian Dr. Louden Wright. “Data has shown that vaccination drastically reduces the severity of COVID-19 in humans, and we are optimistic that the same will be true in our zoo animals. Anything we can do to help protect these animals under our care is absolutely worth trying."

Additional barriers will remain in place around the Amur tiger enclosure, due to their heightened sensitivity to COVID-19. 

See the GPZ vet team delivering the vaccines in this TIKTOK.