Following the recent detection of the flesh-eating New World screwworm parasite in a Texas calf, the Tennessee Department of Agriculture has issued an emergency Animal Health Alert establishing strict import requirements for incoming animals. The parasite, which was eradicated from the United States in the 1960s but has recently spread upward from Panama and Mexico, poses a severe threat because its larvae feed exclusively on living tissue and can be fatal to livestock, wildlife, pets, and occasionally humans if left untreated.

Under the new regulations, any animal—including livestock, dogs, and cats—being imported to Tennessee from a high-risk county or a state with three or more confirmed detections must be accompanied by a certificate of veterinary inspection that is no more than 12 days old. Furthermore, animals coming from areas with suspected established fly populations must be certified as inspected and effectively treated, and all imported animals must be entirely free of wounds.

While certain exceptions apply, Tennessee officials warn that any suspected or wounded shipments may be barred from entering the state until the animals are fully examined, treated, and healed, emphasizing that a wider resurgence of the screwworm could cause catastrophic economic impacts alongside its obvious physical dangers.