Ebola outbreak: Spanish nurse Teresa Romero slams officials for 'executing' her beloved dog Excalibur as she is released from hospital

The 44-year-old says the animal ‘was not given a chance’

Spanish nurse Teresa Romero leaves Carlos III Hospital after being discharged on 5 November, 2014 in Madrid, Spain (Getty Images)

The Spanish nurse who became the first person to contract Ebola outside west Africa in the current virus outbreak has issued an emotional statement upon leaving hospital – slamming officials for “executing” her pet dog.

Teresa Romero’s statement outside Madrid’s Carlos III hospital was read out by her husband Javier Limon, who said his wife was too emotional at the loss of Excalibur to speak herself.

Ms Romero spent around a week in critical condition after helping to treat two Spanish missionaries who were flown home from west Africa in August and September. Both missionaries later died.

Released from hospital after 30 days in quarantine, the 44-year-old said she still felt weak but praised those who cared for her.

But she hit out at health officials in Madrid who euthanized her mixed-breed dog on 8 October because he posed a potential risk of Ebola transmission. The case has been contrasted with that of the dog belonging to a nurse in the US who also contracted Ebola, but who was kept in quarantine and later reunited with its owner.

Ms Romero said that the dog had been like a child to her and her husband, who did not have children of their own.

Killing Excalibur “wasn't necessary”, Ms Romero said in her statement. “The worst part of all of this is that our dog was not given a chance,” she said.