New World screwworm outbreak stalls Texas pet adoptions, threatens shelters

The recent incursion of the New World screwworm, a parasite that can infect mammals, has prompted U.S. officials to halt cattle movements across the Texas border and to impose limits on pet transfers from infested regions. As a result, shelters across the state, including the Gulf Coast Humane Society, have experienced a surge in resident animals, rising from roughly 325 to nearly 450 dogs, because destinations such as New York require veterinary clearance before accepting animals.

With fewer out-of-state placements, shelters are forced to expand outdoor spaces and risk higher euthanasia rates if capacity is exceeded. Texas already moves the largest number of dogs and cats to other states, and the current restrictions threaten to reverse those gains. The USDA is also constructing a sterile-fly facility in southern Texas to curb the parasite's spread, with additional sterile-fly programs planned in neighboring regions. Advocates call for more funding, spay-neuter programs, and support for shelters to mitigate the compounded pressures from the screwworm outbreak and existing resource shortfalls.