Nurse’s dog tests negative for Ebola

The dog belonging to a Dallas nurse battling Ebola has tested negative for the virus, city officials said Wednesday.

Bentley, a 1-year-old Cavalier King Charles spaniel, has been the subject of media interest since owner Nina Pham was diagnosed with Ebola earlier this month.

{mosads}The dog began diagnostic tests on Monday to ensure he did not contract the virus. He will remain in a special kennel run by Dallas Animal Services for the duration of a 21-day monitoring period, officials said.

There have been no reports of dogs or cats becoming sick with Ebola in West Africa, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

Nonetheless, fears that animals might act as carriers led Spanish officials to euthanize the dog of a Spanish nurse who contracted Ebola while treating two infected priests.

The decision caused an uproar worldwide and several campaigns urging the authorities to “Spare Excalibur.”

The Spanish nurse, Maria Teresa Romero Ramos, was declared free of Ebola this week.