The Fearon family in Queensland made the painful decision of putting down Dusty, their 2 year-old Kelpie, after testing positive to Hendra virus antibodies. Although the family pet appears healthy, test results indicated that the dog had contracted the virus at some stage but was able to overcome it. The results confirmed the possibility of infecting others with the potentially fatal Hendra virus.

According to WHO, Hendra virus (HeV) is a rare, emerging zoonotic virus (a virus transmitted to humans from animals), that can cause respiratory and neurological disease and death in people. It can also cause severe disease and death in horses. Fruit bats of the Pteropodidae family are the natural hosts of Hendra virus.

The two-year-old kelpie became the first dog known to have contracted the bat-borne virus.

The family made the decision to put down the family pet Sunday afternoon rather than wait for Biosecurity Queensland to compel them to do so.

SMH reported that the Fearon family, in a statement released said, "Our beloved dog Dusty was humanely euthanized by our family vet after results of his most recent blood tests confirmed that he carried Hendra virus antibodies, which meant he was able to shed the virus to other animals." .

The statement further said, "We are devastated by the loss of our fourth family animal to the Hendra virus and are particularly saddened to witness the effect of the loss of our young dog has had on our children.".

"We remain in awe of the support our family has been offered by friends and strangers nationwide.

"The campaigns and messages of support continue to comfort all of us."

Three horses have succumbed to the fatal Hedra virus on the Fearon's Mount Alford property, southwest of Brisbane.