Arizona's screwworm pet travel memo puts accredited vets in charge of checking entry rules

Dogs and cats outside infested zones can currently move freely within Arizona, and the state has no requirements of its own for them to leave. Owners are told to look up the destination state's import rules, starting with interstatelivestock.com, and then book a visit with an accredited veterinarian for a certificate of veterinary inspection (CVI) and any other paperwork.

The memo makes the accredited veterinarian responsible for confirming that website information directly with the destination state's animal health official. The reason given is that the situation is changing quickly and states may update their entry rules before the website does.

Dogs and cats moving within Arizona from an infested zone must be on an NWS treatment that is FDA-approved, conditionally approved, or emergency-authorized. Owners are told their regular veterinarian can help them choose a product.

Leaving the state from an infested zone requires three things: an Arizona NWS premovement permit, an electronic CVI, and whatever the destination state requires. If the destination state uses its own entry permit number, that number has to come from that state. Owners are asked to plan early so the veterinarian has time to contact the destination state.

As of November 13, the Arizona Department of Agriculture (AZDA) listed six confirmed cases: two dogs, three horses and one sheep. A mandatory 20-km (12.4-mile) infested zone surrounds every detection, and three zones are active. Animals can't leave a zone while restrictions are in place unless the state veterinarian directs otherwise. Self-inspection is suspended while a zone is active.

APHIS announced the first case, a dog in Cochise County, on October 28. Later cases include a dog near Thatcher in Graham County and a horse near Pearce in Cochise County, and neither animal had a known travel history. USDA is still releasing sterile flies and building a dispersal facility in Douglas.

AZDA asks veterinarians, shelters, producers, and owners to check animals every day for open wounds. Maggot-infested wounds consistent with NWS should be reported right away to diseasereporting@azda.gov or AZDA Animal Services at 602-542-4293 (weekdays, 8 AM to 5 PM Mountain Time).