The Hong Kong government and experts on Thursday urged members of the public not to abandon their pets during the outbreak of the novel coronavirus — as no evidence yet suggests pets can be a source of COVID-19 infections.

The appeal came after the city reported the world's first case of an infected dog, which belongs to a COVID-19 patient.

The dog repeatedly tested weak positive for the novel coronavirus beginning Feb 26, which indicated a low level of infection of the virus, Thomas Sit Hon-chung, assistant director (inspection and quarantine) of the Agriculture, Fisheries and Conservation Department, told during a daily press conference.

Experts from local universities and the World Organisation for Animal Health also agreed that it was most likely a case of human-to-animal transmission. The dog's owner, a 60-year-old female, became the 85th person to have contracted the disease, on Feb 25.

The dog shows no symptoms relating to COVID-19. It does not need treatment and now has a chance to heal itself, said Sit.

The department strongly advises that mammalian pets from households with infected patients or their close contacts should be put under quarantine in AFCD facilities.

Ho Pak-leung, president of the Carol Yu Centre for Infection at the University of Hong Kong, called on the public to stay calm and fight the epidemic together with the pets.

Ho recalled that eight cats and one dog tested positive for the SARS virus in Hong Kong in 2003. However, neither a transmission of the SARS virus from pets to human beings, nor an outbreak among animals, was found anywhere worldwide.

The Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals, a local animal welfare group, said the past month saw no increase in animals being abandoned in the city. There were about 10 cases of this being reported each week, the same as before the pneumonia epidemic, the group told China Daily.

The group praised Hong Kong pet owners for continuing to protect their animals during these trying times.

The group also reminded dog owners to observe good hygiene when taking their dogs for walks. For example, pet owners should clean up their dogs' excrement with newspapers or plastic bags, and wash the urine with water mixed with white vinegar.

In addition, owners must wash hands thoroughly with soap after handling a dog's excrement, the group stressed.

Ken Chan, 40, is an owner of two shiba inu dogs. Chan, who works in the shipping industry, said he does not worry about his pets being infected and definitely will not abandon them, although he has heard of other dog owners expressing the concerns.

Pets are innocent, said Chan. It is time for human beings to take full responsibility in the care for their pets, he added.