5 days ago
Rescue Dogs Are Learning to Sniff Out an Invasive Flesh-Eating Parasite Heading for the U.S.
When the dogs "retire," 99% of them are adopted by their handlers, said Cesar Dangu, head of the Canine Trainer CenterNEED TO KNOW
Mexico is training rescue dogs to detect flesh-eating screwworm larvae in livestock wounds.
The invasive parasite has been nearing the Mexico–Texas border, threatening the area's cattle industry
The U.S. and Mexico are working on numerous plans to combat New World screwworm infestations, including a plan to release sterile male flies to curb the species' agricultural health safety agency, Senasica, has launched a sniffer-dog training program as another tactic in combating the rise in New World screwworm (NSW) populations.
The invasive "flesh-eating parasite" is actually an invasive fly, Colin Woodall, the CEO of the National Cattlemen's Beef Association, told NPR. The parasite poses a serious threat to the U.S. meat industry.
The New World screwworm fly lays eggs on livestock, including cattle, which leads to a gruesome problem for the farm animals once the eggs become larvae.
"The larva does exactly what the name would suggest. It screws or bores into the flesh of our cattle and, in essence, eats the animal from the inside out. It is a horrific parasite," Woodall said.
New World screwworm populations have been moving up from South America and nearing the Mexico-Texas border since late 2024, and multiple U.S. and Mexican government health agencies have been working to stop the potential spread of screwworm infestations.
Senasica's Canine Trainer Center, Ceacan, has recruited rescue dogs for a three-month intensive training program, teaching the canines how to sniff out and detect the New World screwworm larvae within the open wounds of livestock or agricultural products, according to The Straits Times.
Ceacan instructor, Mayte Tontle, told the outlet that the dogs use "cow-sized equipment inside [of] a greenhouse" that replicates the extreme heat that's expected in infected areas. "We want our dogs to adapt as much as possible to the real-life conditions," explained Tontle.
Of course, not all of the rescue dogs tapped for try-outs have qualified for a detection dog gig, noted Cesar Dangu, head of the Canine Trainer Center. Dogs who aren't a fit are adopted out to forever families who get to enjoy the benefit of the pets' extra training.
The trainer added that the rescues that most people turn away, like overly energetic pups, are often the ones perfect for detection jobs.
"We also have to look for other qualities: that they don't get angry, they are affectionate, they can live with people and with other animals," he said.
Currently, six screwworm-sniffing dogs are working the border of Chiapas and Guatemala, where many New World screwworm infestations are occurring. The dogs who have passed training will either work for eight years or until they turn 10 years old, whichever comes first.
"I would say 99% of the dogs are adopted by their handler," shared Dangu. "There is an unbreakable link because of the love between the handler and the dog."
The U.S. government has also launched tactics to protect against potential New World screwworm infestations, including a fly dispersal facility in Edinburg, Texas, costing $8.5 million, set to "enhance the USDA's already robust ability to detect, control, and eliminate this pest."
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The U.S. has also invested an additional $21 million into the fly production facility in Metapa, Mexico. The latter facility is estimated to produce and release 60 to 100 million sterile male NSW flies into the ecosystem.
The plan is for the male NWS flies, which are sterilized with radiation, to impregnate the female flies, whose eggs won't fertilize or hatch, and will, in turn, lead to the NWS flies dying out before they spread farther.
Read the original article on People
