Dear Seeing Eye graduate,
We have two updates from The Seeing Eye in this email. The first is from Dr. Kyle Quigley, Director of Veterinary Medicine and Genetics, about the recent resurgence of screwworm in the United States. The second is from Jim Kessler, Director of Instruction & Training, about Seeing Eye representatives at the upcoming National Federation of the Blind and American Council of the Blind conventions.
New World Screwworm
Due to the recent reintroduction of New World Screwworm into the United States, there are additional requirements to enter the U.S. from Mexico. Screwworm is generally associated with infestations in livestock, but it can infect wounds on pets and humans.
More information about bringing dogs into the United States: https://www.aphis.usda.gov/pet-travel/another-country-to-us-import/dogs#modal-link-cdc-alert
New World Screwworm has been recently detected in livestock in Texas and New Mexico. There are also new requirements from individual states within the United States if you are traveling from an infected zone in Texas or New Mexico.
For those of you traveling to the National Federation of the Blind Conference beginning July 3, please note that Austin is not currently in an affected county. We urge you to monitor the situation in Texas as it progresses and follow the regulations in your home state as changes emerge.
More information about traveling with dogs within the United States: https://www.akc.org/legislative-alerts/emerging-issue-new-world-screwworm-impacts-on-health-interstate-travel-with-dogs/
Infestation Zones in the United States: Following recent detections, strict infested and surveillance zones are concentrated in the southwestern United States. This includes multiple designated quarantine zones encompassing 10+ counties across Texas (including Edwards, Gillespie, Kerr, Kimble, La Salle, Medina, Terrell, Uvalde, Webb, and Zavala counties) and New Mexico (with infestations identified in Lea County).
General information about screwworm: https://www.screwworm.gov/
The good news: Credelio will kill New World Screwworm larvae in dogs!
Thank you,
C. Kyle Quigley, DVM
Director, Veterinary Medicine & Genetics
The Seeing Eye
NFB and ACB Conventions
The Seeing Eye is a sponsor of both the National Federation of the Blind National Convention (Austin, Texas, from July 3-July 8) and the American Council of the Blind Conference and Convention (St. Louis, Missouri July 24-31).
If you would like follow-up support from an instructor while at either convention, please make arrangements ahead of time by emailing us at trai...@seeingeye.org with the subject line “NFB” or “ACB” depending on which one you are attending.
The Seeing Eye will be presenting at each conference.
The topic is:
The Seeing Eye – Guiding the Way Forward
Explore how a Seeing Eye dog and adaptive technology can support mobility and independence: assess whether a guide dog may be the right fit for you; learn how adaptive technology may complement a guide dog partnership; identify next steps and questions to consider.
At NFB, the presentation will be on Saturday, July 4, from 9 a.m. to 10 a.m. in Room 205 at the JW Marriott Austin. Our booth number in the exhibit hall at NFB is A3.
In attendance at NFB from July 3-6 will be Jim Kessler, Shannon Deuschle Manahan, Bill Lang, and Courtney Cook. From July 3-7 will be Chelsea White. From July 7-9 will be Ruthanne Dewey, Ray Engleking, and Craig Garretson.
At ACB, from July 25-29, will be Aaron Bloom, Jen Kersh, Chelsea White, and Alexis Wisniewski-Chesson, and we are presenting on Sunday, July 26, from 5 p.m. to 6 p.m. We are booth 38 at ACB.
If you are attending either convention, please attend our presentation, and stop by our booth to say hello.
Thank you,
Jim Kessler
Director of Instruction & Training
The Seeing Eye
