Protests In Spain As Infected Nurse’s Dog Is Killed

Despite pleas that his life be spared, Excalibur, the dog of Ebola-infected nurse Maria Teresa Romero, has been killed.

The 12-year-old rescue dog was declared a risk to humans after his owner was confirmed to have the disease due to contact with infected Spanish priest, Manuel Garcia Viejo who contracted the disease in Sierra Leone.

Romero’s husband was quarantined but it was decided by Spanish authorities that the dog should be put down.

Animal rights campaigners started a Change.org petition, which was reportedly signed by 450,000 people, to stop the dog from being killed but he was eventually euthanized yesterday, October 8.

Excalibur’s death was confirmed by Spanish health officials via a statement saying that the dog had been “destroyed” and the body "put into a sealed biosecurity device and transferred for incineration at an authorized disposal facility."

The dog's death has led to protests as animal rights campaigners  stood outside the infected nurse's house and chanted "assassins" at officials.

Campaigners had insisted that it was much easier to isolate the dog than to rob the nurse of a “member of her family.”