Have read conflicting articles about covid-19 safety and pets. some say you can't get it from pets and others say don't hug or snuggle your dog because it could be dangerous. which is it? i hate the thought of not being able to hug my dog, esp. now.

You may get it: If somebody who is sick with corona virus and coughs on your dog or wipes a surface before petting your dog followed by your hugging of your dog and touching your face is the way you can get it. Otherwise corona virus is not a virus which lives on the dogs. Some cats lives in the wild , bats and some others animals can carry this virus. So, if no outside contact to dog , you are fine to hug .