1 Introduction Since late 2019, the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) has shaped almost all aspects of modern civilization. Evidence suggests that SARS-CoV-2 originated from an animal source, most likely horseshoe bats (Rhinolophus spp), and spilled over into humans through an intermediary animal host (Zhou et al. 2020a). Cases of SARS-CoV-2 have been documented in companion animals globally, and human-to-animal transmission has been widely recognized (Liew et al. 2023).