“Mass euthanasias”: Screwworm could have deeper implications for Texas’ already-crowded animal shelters

Subscribe to The Y’all — a weekly dispatch about the people, places and policies defining Texas, produced by Texas Tribune journalists living in communities across the state.

LUBBOCK — After the New World screwworm was found in a dog in Texas, pet owners across the state worried how it might affect their animal companions.

But the state’s uncontrollable stray animal population has the potential to make the spread of screwworm worse.

And in some cases, animals in shelters could die as a result of this outbreak, without ever being touched by the screwworm.

“They will do mass, mass, mass euthanasias if they aren’t allowed to move the animals out of the quarantine zones,” said Rebecca Giamona, a veterinarian with Austin Pets Alive. “There could be thousands of animals dying in shelters because they don’t have the space to continue to cover those animals.”

For years, animal advocates across Texas have been raising awareness about the overcrowding in animal shelters all over the Lone Star state. According to Best Friends Animal Society, an animal welfare nonprofit, an estimated 568,325 cats and dogs entered Texas shelters.

Then the New World screwworm burrowed its way to the U.S. The parasitic fly lays eggs in open wounds, which then turn into larvae that feast on the living flesh of warm-blooded animals. And it isn’t limited to cattle, livestock, and wildlife — anything with a wound is at risk of attracting the fly. This includes cats, dogs, and humans.

Earlier this month, Gov. Greg Abbott issued a statewide disaster proclamation for all of Texas’ 254 counties in response to screwworm cases in the state. The parasitic fly has mostly infested livestock so far, but it was also caught in a dog.

After a screwworm-infested zone was established, the Texas Animal Health Commission put quarantine orders in parts of 13 counties: Coke, Edwards, Gillespie, Kerr, Kimble, La Salle, Schleicher, Sutton, Tom Green, Uvalde, Val Verde, Webb, and Zavala.

The quarantine orders effectively stop all warm-blooded animals, whether they are infected or not, from being moved out of the infested zone to other areas of Texas or other states. While this does slow the spread of the screwworm, some animal welfare groups worry it could unintentionally exacerbate animal shelter overcrowding.

Giamona is especially concerned for shelters in rural areas. Studies show that rural areas nationwide are under-funded and are often in shelter deserts, where there is little to no access to public animal services.

“They don’t have the resources we do,” Giamona said. “A lot of their setups are completely outdoors with very minimal coverage. So that would make animals in those shelters more susceptible.”

Slowing the spread

Since the first case of the New World screwworm was confirmed in Texas, animal welfare groups, veterinary clinics, and government officials have worked closely together to stop the screwworm from becoming a mass disaster. Part of that work includes having some form of veterinary care for Texans everywhere to report a case.

However, stray animals are still a growing blind spot. There is no guarantee that someone will encounter the animal, let alone take it to a veterinarian if they spot an injury. And now, some animal rescues won’t accept animals from quarantined areas. Austin Pets Alive partners with shelters in South and Central Texas to fill in the gaps. They receive about 2,500 animals a year and work on transporting them to other states. They have 19 partner shelters and transport animals to eight different states as well as Canada.

“We work with these small, under-resourced shelters that otherwise wouldn’t have the resources to care for animals,” said Luis Sanchez, communications officer for the organization. “In most cases, they would euthanize that population.”

Erin Robinson, director of communications for the Texas Animal Health Commission, said the quarantine order keeps animals from moving elsewhere until they are inspected and treated if they have an infestation.

“This way, we can assure our trade partners in other parts of this state and other states that we’re not spreading new world screwworm out of this zone if we can help it,” Robinson said.

A quarantine could help slow the spread of the screwworm and potentially stop history from repeating itself. In 1933, during the original screwworm outbreak in the U.S., the pest became more widespread after a shipment of infested animals went from the southwest side of the country to the southeast.

There are other ways to stop the spread of the screwworm. One of the biggest ways is for people to check animals as often as possible, especially ones going into animal shelters or rescues.

“They’re coming from outside, from places that were not controlled or didn’t have people looking at them on a regular basis,” Robinson said. “We want to make sure thorough inspection happens in order to avoid any infestations.”

Preparing for the worst

The screwworm isn’t contagious and is treatable. However, there are still concerns about what would happen if it managed to get into an area that is crowded with animals. Dr. Virginia DeChant, a veterinarian with the Houston SPCA, said it could be a problem if the maggot falls out of the wound.

“Then it could become an adult fly,” said DeChant, who is one of the seven veterinarians at the Houston SPCA. “Then it could go and lay eggs in another animal.”