Harlingen Health Department

06/19/2026

🗺️ Find your spray day and time here:
https://harl.maps.arcgis.com/apps/instant/lookup/index.html?appid=227497da9833419480b9112719d1c225

📍 Simply type your address into the search bar to see your neighborhood's scheduled spray night and treatment zone.

🦟📢 MOSQUITO SPRAY ZONE PUBLIC NOTICE: STARTING TONIGHT

The City of Harlingen Health Department's Vector Control team will conduct mosquito control operations Friday, June 19, through Monday, June 22, from 7:30 PM to 11:30 PM, weather permitting.

If your area is scheduled for treatment, please remember to:

🏠 Stay indoors during spraying hours whenever possible.
🚪 Close and lock windows and doors.
💨 Turn off attic fans, exhaust fans, and A/C intake systems.
🐾 Bring pets indoors and provide fresh water.
🪑 Cover or remove outdoor items such as children's toys, pet dishes, and patio furniture.

Our Vector Control team uses products approved by the Texas Department of Agriculture and applies them according to label requirements to help reduce mosquito populations and the risk of mosquito-borne illnesses.

Together, we keep Harlingen strong, healthy, and protected. 💙

📞 Questions? Contact the Harlingen Health Department at (956) 216-5220.

06/18/2026

☀️🐾 6 Heat Safety Tips for Pet Parents 🐾☀️

South Texas temperatures can rise quickly, and our pets feel the heat just like we do. As we enjoy the beautiful summer days in Harlingen, it's important to take a few extra steps to keep our furry family members safe and comfortable.

💧 Provide plenty of fresh, cool water
🏠 Make sure pets have access to shade and shelter
🚗 Never leave pets unattended in vehicles
🌅 Schedule walks and outdoor activities during cooler hours
🐾 Protect sensitive paws from hot pavement
🌡️ Learn the warning signs of heat stroke, including excessive panting, vomiting, red gums, weakness, collapse, or difficulty breathing

If your pet begins showing signs of heat-related illness, seek veterinary care immediately.

Keeping pets safe during the summer is a community effort. Together, we can ensure that every pet in Harlingen stays healthy, hydrated, and protected from the heat.

💙💚 Healthy Pets. Healthy People. Stronger Harlingen.

06/18/2026

🌡️ HEAT ALERT 🌡️

Heads up, Cameron County: temperatures and heat index values are expected to increase later this week, with heat advisories likely Thursday and Friday.

For the latest updates, please visit US National Weather Service Brownsville/Rio Grande Valley Texas.

06/17/2026

🦟 Is your yard a "Mosquito Magnet"? 🏡

Even though mosquito spraying operations have concluded, mosquito prevention starts at home. Small changes around your yard can make a big difference in reducing areas where mosquitoes live and breed.

✅ Keep your lawn trimmed
✅ Clean out gutters regularly
✅ Change pet water daily
✅ Use an EPA-approved repellent when spending time outdoors

🚫 Avoid common mosquito attractors like:
• Tall, un-mowed grass
• Overgrown weeds
• Clogged birdbaths
• Containers collecting rainwater

Mosquitoes only need a small amount of standing water to lay eggs. Taking a few minutes each week to inspect your property can help protect your family, your pets, and your neighborhood.

Together, we can build healthier yards, healthier neighborhoods, and a stronger Harlingen. 💚

06/16/2026

🚫💧 Post-Rain Alert: Keep Your Pets Away From Standing Puddles! 🌧️🐾

Following yesterday's heavy rainfall, street gutters and yards across Harlingen are filled with standing rain puddles. While they might look like a harmless, refreshing outdoor water bowl to a thirsty pet on a walk, storm runoff puddles are a major public health hazard!

When water flows over streets, sidewalks, and lawns, it collects dangerous contaminants that can make your four-legged family members severely ill.

🔬 The Hidden Dangers in Stagnant Runoff:
Harmful Bacteria: Heavy rain washes wildlife and stray animal waste into puddles, creating a breeding ground for dangerous bacteria like Leptospirosis, which can cause severe kidney and liver issues in pets.

Chemical Contamination: Puddles easily mix with hidden lawn fertilizers, pesticides, motor oil, and gasoline washed off driveway pavement.

Parasite Breeding Grounds: Stagnant water quickly attracts pests and harbors microscopic parasites that cause severe gastrointestinal distress.

🛡️ How You Can Protect Your Pets Today:
1️⃣ Keep Them Leashed: During your neighborhood walks today, keep a short leash and gently guide your dogs completely away from street puddles, ditches, and standing curb water.
2️⃣ Bring Fresh Water Along: Always carry a portable pet water bottle and a collapsible bowl on walks so you can provide a clean, safe drink whenever they get thirsty.
3️⃣ Keep it Clean at Home: Ensure your pets have a heavy, tip-proof bowl of fresh, clean tap water waiting for them securely on your porch or inside your home.

Let’s work together to keep our neighborhoods clean, our water safe, and our pets healthy! 🏡❤️

📞 For health, vector control, or animal welfare questions, contact us at (956) 216-5220.

06/15/2026

🚨 FLOOD WATCH SAFETY: Protecting Your Family and Pets From the Storm 🌧️🛡️

With heavy rainfall moving through the area and a flood watch currently in effect, the Harlingen Health Department and Animal Care Services are working together to keep our community safe.

Flash flooding happens quickly, creating immediate risks for your household and your pets. Take these essential public health and animal safety steps right now:

🏠 1. Bring Outdoor Pets Inside Immediately
Do not leave pets tethered or confined in outdoor kennels, pens, or low-lying backyards. Rising waters can trap them instantly. Bringing them inside also prevents them from being exposed to contaminated storm runoff, which can carry dangerous bacteria and disease.

💦 2. Watch the Water (Public Health Concerns)
Avoid Floodwaters: Keep both your family and your pets out of standing water. Floodwaters can hide sharp debris, downed power lines, and harmful bacteria.

Prevent Mosquito Breeding: Once the rain stops, remember to Tip & Toss standing water from buckets, tires, and flower pots to prevent a surge in mosquito populations.

🎒 3. Secure Your Emergency Supplies
Ensure your household emergency kit has essentials for everyone right by the front door in a waterproof bag:

A 3-to-5 day supply of bottled water and non-perishable food (for humans and pets).

Flashlights, extra batteries, and critical daily medications.

Leashes, collars with up-to-date ID tags, and secure pet carriers.

🚗 4. Never Leave Pets Behind
If you must evacuate your home, never leave your animals behind. If it isn't safe for you, it isn't safe for them. Have a plan to stay with family on higher ground or identify pet-friendly emergency options.

Stay weather-aware, keep off flooded roads, and look out for your neighbors!

📞 For health, sanitation, or animal welfare concerns within city limits, contact us at (956) 216-5220.

06/15/2026

🚨 SANDBAG DISTRIBUTION TODAY 🚨

06/12/2026

⚽🏆 Live Update: The Ultimate Game Plan for a Bite-Free World Cup Weekend! 🦟🇺🇸

Live from Harlingen, our special guest reporter is breaking down the official scouting report for this weekend's World Cup watch parties and backyard cookouts!

The good news? Our Vector Control teams have been working hard and actively spraying across the city this week to knock out mosquito populations! But to secure a total victory for your weekend barbecue, we need a strong double-team effort on the home turf.

📋 The Championship Weekend Checklist:
1️⃣ Clear the Pitch (Mow the Lawn): Our trucks target flying adults, but mosquitoes love to bench-warm in tall grass during the heat of the day. Keep your lawn cut short to completely eliminate their favorite hiding spots!
2️⃣ Shut Down the Watering Hole (Tip & Toss): Don't let standing water give them a home-field advantage. Check flower pots, tires, and outdoor toys after the recent rain.
3️⃣ Sub in the Repellent: Before heading out to grill or watch the match on the patio, apply an EPA-approved insect repellent containing DEET or Picaridin.

Our trucks are doing their part—now it's time to lock down your yard! Let's work together to secure a clean sheet and a great weekend. Let’s go Team USA!

🗺️ Want to see which zones we covered this week? Check our interactive spray zone map pinned at the top of our page!
📞 Questions? Contact the Health Department at (956) 216-5220.

06/12/2026

⚠️ Sandbags Available for Harlingen Residents & Businesses
Prepared sandbags will be available Friday from 5–7PM and Saturday from 9AM–4PM at the Public Works Yard.

Self-service sandbags, sand, and shovels will be available Saturday from 9AM–4PM at Victor Park.

Limit: 6 sandbags per resident and 10 per business. See flyer for eligibility requirements.

⚠️ Sandbags Available for Harlingen Residents & Businesses

Prepared sandbags will be available Friday from 5–7PM and Saturday from 9AM–4PM at the Public Works Yard.

Self-service sandbags, sand, and shovels will be available Saturday from 9AM–4PM at Victor Park.

Limit: 6 sandbags per resident and 10 per business. See flyer for eligibility requirements.