A flesh-eating parasite that crossed from Mexico into the United States for the first time in 60 years has shut down interstate pet transfers from Texas, leaving overcrowded shelters facing a surge in euthanasia. Forty-four states have now restricted the movement of dogs and cats from screwworm-infested areas of Texas, choking off the pipeline that […] The post New World screwworm outbreak freezes Texas pet adoptions, puts thousands of shelter animals at risk appeared first on American Almanac .
How are cost-of-living pressures affecting pet ownership in Texas?
Brandon Krodle, the animal control supervisor in Greenville (a city northeast of Dallas), noted that many owners are surrendering their pets because they can no longer afford to keep them.
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What is the current status of the stray animal population in Texas as of 2025?
The state's stray population stood at approximately 439,000 dogs and cats in 2025, which is the second highest in the nation, following California.
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What is the USDA's plan to address the screwworm outbreak?
The USDA is building a $750 million fly factory in southern Texas designed to breed billions of sterile males, which is set to open in April 2027. Another dispersal facility is also planned for Arizona.
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What is the relationship between the screwworm outbreak and the beef industry?
The parasite threatens the United States' $113 billion beef industry, and as a result, federal officials have closed the border to cattle movements.
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What are the specific pet movement restrictions implemented by Florida and New York?
Florida banned imports of rescued dogs and cats from Texas and New Mexico roughly one week after the first screwworm case appeared in Texas this year. New York blocked transfers for weeks before reinstating them with a requirement that a veterinarian must certify each animal is screwworm-free before crossing the state line.
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What is the New World screwworm and how does it impact animals?
The New World screwworm is a flesh-eating parasite that lays its larvae in open wounds or mucous membranes of humans, wildlife, livestock, and pets. In Texas, dozens of infections have been confirmed, including several cases in dogs.
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A flesh-eating parasite that crossed from Mexico into the United States for the first time in 60 years has shut down interstate pet transfers from Texas, leaving overcrowded shelters facing a surge in euthanasia. Forty-four states have now restricted the movement of dogs and cats from screwworm-infested areas of Texas, choking off the pipeline that normally sends tens of thousands of unadopted animals each year to shelters and rescue groups in the Northeast, the Great Lakes, and beyond. Florida banned imports of rescued dogs and cats from Texas and New Mexico roughly a week after the first screwworm case appeared in Texas this year. New York blocked transfers for weeks before reinstating them with a new requirement: a veterinarian must…Open