Susanna Reid represents all of us when she learned that the UK government was considering a cat slaughter early in the Covid-19 outbreak.
Former Health Minister James Bethell stated on Wednesday that the government was afraid that people may contract the illness via their pets and had to contemplate a cull.
He told Channel 4 News they understood ‘little’ about the disease at the time, admitting ‘there was a point we were extremely unsure about whether household dogs could spread the sickness.
‘In fact, there was an idea at one moment that we might have to ask the public to exterminate all the cats in Britain. Can you imagine what would have happened if we had wanted to do that?’
Undoubtedly, the public reaction would have been negative, as seen by Good Morning Britain anchor Susanna, who had her jaw virtually on the floor as she read out the headline.
‘The government considered ordering that all pet cats should be killed,’ she said, the disbelief and horror more than clear in her voice.
She talked slowly and wide-eyed, as if she couldn’t believe what she was saying, while co-host Ben Shephard looked perplexed alongside her.
After finishing the headline, Susanna had to pause for a moment as she looked around, before declaring: ‘Sorry – imagine that!’
Ben pointed out that the public were, at one stage, asked not to kiss their pets, with Susanna agreeing they were asked to stay ‘hygienic.’
‘But the idea that the government might, at one stage, tell owners “you have to put down your pet cat?!”‘
She added: ‘I think they realised they might not get away with it.’
The matter was brought up again later in the evening, when it was pointed out that Matt Hancock’s book, Pandemic Diaries, had addressed the potential cull.
Susanna discovered the excerpt and read it to the audience, with Hancock noting, ‘happily, there is still no need for a cat cull.’
The surprised broadcaster noted that it appeared to be a “continuing consideration.”
She concluded with what everyone else is thinking: ‘Blimey.’
Good Morning Britain airs weekdays from 6am on ITV and ITVX