KANSAS CITY, Mo. — The Kansas City, Missouri, City Council passed a proposal that would allow the city to once again handle animal services within city limits.
On Thursday, the council unanimously approved the measure sponsored by Councilwoman Melissa Patterson Hazley.
The proposal directs KCMO City Manager Brian Platt's office to "develop an implementation plan to insource animal control operations."
Platt's office is to report back to the full city council within 30 days. The full council would still need to sign off on Platt's recommendations.
Patterson Hazley previously told KSHB 41 she proposed the measure after hearing from residents who called for the city to handle animal services again.
Among those who've called for change is the family of Chris Culbertson, who died after being mauled by a pack of dogs in November.
Culbertson's family has been seeking answers from police and the Kansas City Pet Project, who has handled the services within city limits since 2020.
The agency previously said it was concerned by the city's efforts.
"Transitioning such a critical operation will create massive disruptions to the quality of care and responsiveness that Kansas City residents have come to rely on," KC Pet Project previously said in part in a statement. "Moreover, this shift will result in a considerable financial burden on taxpayers, introducing unnecessary costs for the city to rebuild infrastructure, hire and retrain staff, and establish systems that are already effectively in place through KC Pet Project."
KSHB 41 reached out KC Pet Project for an updated statement on the council's action on Thursday.
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