Concerns about the New World screwworm have put Texas pet adoptions on hold
- Thousands of dogs and cats in Texas are facing delays in adoption because shelters are trying to limit the spread of New World screwworm.
- The parasite has crossed from Mexico into the United States for the first time in 60 years, and federal officials have already restricted cattle movements at the border.
- Forty-four states have limited the movement of pets from infested areas, which has disrupted transfers from Texas shelters to other parts of the country.
- Texas shelters say the restrictions are increasing crowding and could force more euthanizations if animals cannot be moved out.
- Some shelters have adjusted by creating more space and waiting for destination states to resume accepting Texas animals with veterinary certification.
Adoptions of dogs and cats from Texas shelters have been put on hold as authorities try to contain the spread of New World screwworm. The insect, which can infect mammals and cause flesh-eating larvae to develop in wounds or mucous, has now been found in the United States for the first time in 60 years after moving north from Mexico.
The outbreak has led 44 states to restrict the movement of pets from infested parts of Texas. That has disrupted a long-running system in which Texas shelters send thousands of animals to other states each year to ease overcrowding and improve adoption chances.
Shelters say the limits are creating crowded conditions and reducing their ability to accept new animals from municipal shelters. In Corpus Christi, one shelter said its population rose sharply after it could not send rescued dogs to New York for weeks.
The situation remains fluid as some states resume accepting animals with veterinary clearance. Shelter operators say the restrictions are complicating animal welfare operations across Texas, while the broader New World screwworm response is also affecting cattle movement at the border.
新大陆螺旋蝇担忧使得得州宠物领养暂停
由于当局试图遏制新大陆螺旋蝇扩散，得州收容所的狗和猫领养已经暂停。这种寄生虫会感染哺乳动物，并在伤口或黏膜中引发食肉性幼虫；它从墨西哥北上后，首次在美国出现，距上次美国发生相关疫情已过去60年。
此次疫情促使44个州限制来自得州受感染区域的宠物流动，打乱了得州收容所长期依靠向外州转运动物来缓解拥挤、提高领养机会的安排。
收容所表示，限制措施正在加剧收容压力，也削弱了它们接收市政收容所新动物的能力。在科珀斯克里斯蒂，一家收容所说，因数周无法把获救犬只送往纽约，收容量明显上升。
目前情况仍在变化，一些州在兽医确认未感染后，已重新接收来自得州的动物。收容机构表示，这一限制正在影响得州各地的动物救助运作，而围绕新大陆螺旋蝇的应对也已波及边境牛只运输。