Arizona NWS Case Count Hits 6; New Dog and Cat Travel Rules Issued

Arizona has confirmed 6 New World screwworm (NWS) cases in animals — 2 dogs, 3 horses and 1 sheep — and the state's Office of the Veterinarian now requires dogs and cats leaving an infested zone to carry a state premovement permit plus an electronic certificate of veterinary inspection (CVI).1,2

The November 9, 2026 memo, signed by Sarah Heinrich, DVM, assistant state veterinarian with the Arizona Department of Agriculture (AZDA), places a specific new duty on practitioners: USDA-accredited veterinarians must verify destination states' entry requirements directly with each state's animal health official before signing travel paperwork. The memo's stated reason is that the NWS situation "is dynamic" and destination states may update entry requirements before website changes take effect.1

What changes for pets outside an infested zone?

Dogs and cats outside an infested zone face no movement restrictions within Arizona, and Arizona imposes no requirements of its own for these animals to leave the state.1

For owners planning a trip, the memo advises:

• Review the destination state's current import requirements, starting with interstatelivestock.com
• Schedule an appointment with a USDA-accredited veterinarian for a CVI and any other required documents
• Let the accredited veterinarian confirm the website information with the destination state's animal health official before departure1

What does travel from an infested zone require?

Dogs and cats moving within Arizona from an infested zone must be on an FDA-approved, conditionally approved, or emergency-authorized treatment for NWS. Owners can make an appointment with their regular veterinarian for help selecting a medication.1

Leaving Arizona from an infested zone requires three things: an Arizona NWS premovement permit, an electronic CVI, and any additional requirements imposed by the destination state. If the destination state requires its own entry permit number, that number must come from the destination state.1

The memo urges owners to review destination requirements well ahead of departure so the veterinarian has time to complete outreach with the destination state.1 FDA emergency authorizations for NWS in small animals include fluralaner in dogs and Capstar and generic nitenpyram in dogs and cats.

Where do Arizona's cases and zones stand?

Animal health officials establish a mandatory 20-km (12.4-mile) infested zone around every confirmed detection. Arizona currently has 3 active zones. Animals cannot leave an infested zone until movement restrictions are lifted unless the state veterinarian directs otherwise, and self-inspection is suspended while a zone is active.2,3,4

The timeline has compressed quickly:

• October 28, 2026: USDA APHIS announces Arizona's first detection, a dog in Cochise County; samples confirmed at APHIS National Veterinary Services Laboratories in Ames, Iowa5
• Days later: AZDA confirms a horse in Cochise County and a sheep and a horse in Greenlee County3
• Case 5: a domesticated dog near Thatcher in Graham County, no known travel history — roughly 75 miles from the index case and 32 miles from the closest active case; the infested zone expanded into Graham County3
• Case 6: a domesticated horse near Pearce in Cochise County, also with no travel history — approximately 5 miles from the index case4

USDA continues sterile fly releases and is building a sterile fly dispersal facility in Douglas, Arizona.2,4

Who must report, and how?

AZDA instructs veterinarians, animal shelters, livestock producers, horse owners, pet owners, and outdoor recreationists to inspect animals daily for open wounds. Wounds infested with maggots consistent with NWS should be reported immediately to [email protected] or to AZDA Animal Services at 602-542-4293, Monday through Friday, 8 AM to 5 PM Mountain Time.2

For practitioners, the practical effect is a heavier verification workload on every small-animal CVI leaving the state, on top of existing livestock movement controls. With two detections showing no travel history and zones now spanning three counties, expect destination states' entry requirements — and the phone calls to confirm them — to keep changing as the eradication effort proceeds.