A few hours after a Dallas health care worker tested positive for Ebola, her home was being decontaminated, neighbors had received notifications and her dog, Bentley, was shepherded to an undisclosed location to be cared for.
Unlike the Spanish dog named Excalibur, who was euthanized by authorities over Ebola fears, the mayor of Dallas told USA TODAY that the dog of Nina Pham will be “kept safe for eventual reunion with its owner”.
“This was a new twist,” Mayor Mike Rawlings told the newspaper. “The dog’s very important to the patient and we want it to be safe.”
Nina Pham, 26, is the first person within the United States to have contracted the disease. She became infected with the virus while treating Thomas Eric Duncan at Texas Health Presbyterian hospital.
Nina Pham with her King Charles Spaniel Photo credit: Facebook/WFAA-TV
Her family reached out to news channel WFAA-TV and confirmed her identity and provided a photo of their daughter with her Cavalier King Charles Spaniel. They spoke with Dallas County Judge Clay Jenkins, who told WFAA that authorities would be caring for the dog.
“When I met with her parents, they said, ‘This dog is important to her, judge; Don’t let anything happen to the dog,” Judge Jenkins said. “If that dog has to be The Boy in the Plastic Bubble, we’re going to take good care of that dog.”
Bentley has been moved to an undisclosed location and is currently under the care of Dallas Animal Services and Nina is being treated at hospital.
Meanwhile, the CDC is monitoring other individuals who came into contact with Duncan and Nina.
Update October 22, 2014: Great news! Bentley the Cavalier King Charles Spaniel has tested negative for Ebola!
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