TAHC quarantines Kerr County under New World screwworm order following Gillespie detection
TAHC Executive Director Lewis R. Dinges, D.V.M., signed the order June 9, designating portions of Gillespie, Kerr, and Kimble counties as Infested Zone 03 and imposing immediate restrictions on the movement of warm-blooded animals out of the zone.
The Texas Animal Health Commission has placed Kerr County under a formal animal movement quarantine after New World screwworm was detected in a goat in neighboring Gillespie County, expanding a growing biosecurity crisis into the heart of the Hill Country.
TAHC Executive Director Lewis R. Dinges, D.V.M., signed the order June 9, designating portions of Gillespie, Kerr, and Kimble counties as Infested Zone 03 and imposing immediate restrictions on the movement of warm-blooded animals out of the zone.
The order is effective immediately and will remain in place until the commission releases the quarantine.
What the order requires
Under the quarantine, no warm-blooded animal located within Infested Zone 03 may be moved outside the zone without prior authorization from the commission. To obtain a movement permit, animals must be inspected and treated as required by TAHC and issued a permit or certificate by a commission representative.
The restrictions extend beyond live animals. Hides, carcasses, and any animal parts capable of serving as a screwworm host must also be inspected and treated before removal from the zone. Unauthorized movement is subject to administrative penalties and criminal prosecution.
Background on the outbreak
New World screwworm is a parasitic fly whose larvae burrow into the living tissue of warm-blooded animals, causing a painful condition known as NWS myiasis. Infestations worsen as wounds enlarge, creating risk of serious injury, secondary infection, and death if untreated. The USDA classifies NWS as a foreign animal disease threatening U.S. agriculture, wildlife, public health, and the economy.
Governor Greg Abbott issued a statewide disaster proclamation for all Texas counties on Jan. 29, 2026, citing the threat to the state’s livestock industry, and has renewed it monthly since. A new proclamation covering all counties was issued June 5 following the in-state detection that preceded the Gillespie County confirmation.
NWS was confirmed in the Gillespie County goat on June 8 — the same day USDA officials held a press conference at the Knipling-Bushland U.S. Livestock Insects Research Laboratory in Kerrville, the federal facility that leads the national screwworm eradication program.
Local significance
Kerr County’s inclusion in the quarantine zone places Kerrville-area livestock producers under binding state restrictions. Ranchers, exotic wildlife operations, and agricultural businesses within the zone should contact TAHC before any animal movement.
TAHC can be reached at 512-719-0700 or at tahc.texas.gov.
Author
Related Articles
Camp Mystic arbitration battle plays out over morning of legal argument in Austin
The hearing before Judge Maya Guerra Gamble in Austin featured competing arguments on whether Camp Mystic and its co-defendants have already forfeited their right to demand arbitration — and whether the arbitration agreements are legally enforceable to begin with.
Kerrville Pets Alive! to host weekend adoption event with reduced fees
The nonprofit will cover half of adoption fees for the event. Fees include spay/neuter surgery, vaccinations and a microchip.
Abbott directs PUC, ERCOT to shield residential ratepayers from data center grid costs
Abbott framed the directives around Texas’ economic growth, saying the state’s success has made it a magnet for data center development — growth that he said requires oversight to ensure everyday Texans are not burdened with infrastructure costs driven by that expansion.
Comments (0)
There are no comments on this article.