Arizona screwworm outbreak sparks pet travel rules across 9 states
At least nine states now mandate veterinary checks for animals traveling from Arizona due to New World screwworm detections, creating unexpected costs for pet owners.
PHOENIX - Arizona now has six confirmed cases of the New World screwworm, and the outbreak in the state is entirely concentrated in the southeastern corner of the state.
What we know:
The latest case was confirmed in a horse near Pearce in Cochise County around five miles from the state’s first confirmed case. Arizona’s other confirmed cases involved a dog in Graham County, a sheep and a horse in Greenlee County, and a dog and a horse in Cochise County.
Some Arizonans are finding that the uptick in cases is affecting travel plans if they are bringing a pet or service animal. At least nine states are now requiring an animal from Arizona be cleared by a veterinarian a few days prior to visiting them.
Depending on the state, travelers may have to have an animal cleared anywhere from three to seven days before leaving. With holiday travel around the corner, some pet owners are calling the required veterinary visit a financial burden.
Local perspective:
Wickenburg resident Bob Taschetta says his service dog Sophie plays a vital role in his and his wife’s daily lives.
"Both my wife and I are seriously hearing impaired. In fact, I'm hearing through my hearing aids right now," Taschetta said.
Trained to alert her owners to certain sounds, Sophie gets their attention by barking or pawing at them.
"We don't feel comfortable leaving home without her … so it's paramount that when we travel, she comes with us," Taschetta said.
Dig deeper:
Recent travel requirements following Arizona's uptick in screwworm cases are complicating holiday plans.
"Under these new requirements, we're faced with additional veterinary appointments, paperwork, permits, scheduling restrictions and potentially $300 or more in veterinary expenses," Taschetta said.
At least nine states—including California, Hawaii and Florida—now require all pets and service animals from Arizona to be vet-inspected and cleared before entry, whether traveling by car or plane.
"We had planned to visit our family in San Marcos, California for the Christmas vacation," Taschetta said. "If families cannot afford those additional expenses, are they simply expected to forgo visiting their kids and grandkids and other family members?"
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While some say caution is needed for traveling with pets, others note the shared spaces animals encounter.
"Our dogs go to relief stations, they go to dog parks … It's just being responsible pet owners, that's kind of what comes with it, the territory," Prescott resident Cesar Astorga said.
Taschetta agrees it should be taken seriously.
"I'm not suggesting that the screwworm threat should be ignored. It's a serious concern that deserves appropriate attention," he said.
But he feels it should not be a financial burden on responsible animal owners.
"Protecting agricultural and animal health should not automatically translate into imposing costly and potentially unnecessary requirements on every responsible animal owner," Taschetta said. "I wish California would consider some less burdensome alternatives, particularly for the professionally trained service animals."
What you can do:
Some states, like Hawaii, have very specific entry requirements that go beyond a normal veterinary check-up. Travelers can look up the requirements for wherever they are going on the USDA website.
The Source: Information in this report was gathered from Bob Taschetta, Wickenburg resident; and Cesar Astorga, Prescott resident.