Bob CollinsThe Associated Press today raises the specter of a changed relationship with the family dog.
It lends credence to the possibility that the Ebola virus could be spread by dogs.
Lab experiments on other animals suggest their urine, saliva or stool might contain the virus, today’s story says. “That means that in theory, people might catch it through an infected dog licking or biting them, or from grooming.”
The problem is that science hasn’t yet ruled out the possibility.
Let’s get on that, science.
In Spain, today’s report says, a court has ordered the killing of the pet of a woman who contracted the virus.
The Spanish animal rights group Animal Equality complained that authorities wanted to “sacrifice the animal without even diagnosing it or considering the possibility of placing it in quarantine.”
It’s not clear how effective quarantine would be, since infected dogs don’t show symptoms and it’s not known how long the virus can last in them, or how long tests would have to be done to check for it.
Dozens of animal rights activists outside the couple’s apartment complex Wednesday morning scuffled with police, trying to prevent an ambulance and workers in white hazmat suits from entering to disinfect the couple’s apartment and take away Excalibur.
Related: What I Want America To Understand About Ebola (TPM).
