Screwworm Crisis Stalls Pet Adoptions | Little Rock News

Texas shelters are in crisis as a deadly parasite, the New World screwworm, makes a terrifying comeback after 60 years — threatening cattle and pets alike. With animal transport banned across state lines, thousands of dogs and cats are trapped in shelters, adoption pipelines frozen, and euthanasia risks rising. The USDA’s plan to deploy billions of sterile male flies by 2027 may solve the pest problem, but for now, it’s creating a humanitarian emergency. Shelters like one in Corpus Christi have seen populations surge from 325 to nearly 450 — straining resources and forcing heartbreaking choices. This outbreak underscores a deeper crisis: shelters already stretched thin by pandemic fallout and soaring costs now face an impossible squeeze with no easy exit. Listen in comfort:Get a discount on a Soli Pillow: http://solipillow.com/discount/dnn. Advertise on DNN:[email protected] This is an automated, high-level news summary based on public reporting.Report issues to [email protected]. View sources & latest updates:https://sources.thednn.ai/786296d589d34f7a