COVID-19 UK variant found in animals for the first time by Texas A&M researchers The variant was detected in a pet dog and cat in Brazos County Jennifer Gauntt, Texas A&M University College of Veterinary Medicine & Biomedical Sciences Published: Tags: BRYAN-COLLEGE STATION, Texas – Editor’s Note: This article was published through a partnership between Texas A&M University and KSAT. You can also Ad The United Kingdom variant (B.1.1.7) of SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes COVID-19, has been detected for the first time in a dog and a cat from the same household in Brazos County, Texas, as part of a study led by researchers at Texas A&M University.