The New York State Department of Agriculture and Markets (AGM) today announced it has revised its import restrictions for pets coming into New York State following the detection of the New World Screwworm (NWS) in Texas and New Mexico. The updated import order allows the movement of cats and dogs from impacted areas or suspected impacted areas into New York so long as they have been provided an FDA-approved treatment within 14 days prior to entering the state. The remaining order is still in effect and can be found here.
State Agriculture Commissioner Richard A. Ball said, “The Department continuously evaluates its policies and animal health regulations to ensure it is responding proactively to any animal health threats and protecting the agricultural industry. We have been following the situation with NWS closely and determined these changes would allow rescue dogs and cats to come into New York State while still mitigating the potential spread of this invasive pest. We still urge our livestock producers to watch for signs of illness in their animals and take preventative measures, such as tightening biosecurity on the farm and implementing on-farm conservation practices. Taking these extra steps now are critical to protecting animal health.”
New York’s importation order also outlines requirements for additional veterinary testing, certification of good health, and preventative treatment of animals from impacted areas. Specifically, it requires that no domestic animal originating from an infested area enters the state until the area is declared free of the NWS, and that the animal has been examined by an accredited veterinarian and found free of the infestation. The order issued by AGM can be found here.
NWS poses a serious threat to livestock, pets, wildlife, and in rare cases, people. The larvae feed on living tissue and can cause severe wounds, animal suffering, and significant economic harm if not detected and treated quickly. To stay up to date with the latest NWS cases, visit the USDA website here.
Source : ny.gov