KANSAS CITY, Mo. — In a decision more than two years in the works, Kansas City Pet Project will take over Kansas City, Missouri’s Animal Control after an 11-2 vote by the city council.
KC Pet Project will begin a transition period Sept. 1 with current animal health and safety officers with the city, which will last through Nov. 30.
On Dec. 1, KC Pet Project will officially take over all operations of animal control in the city with its new Animal Services Division at the shelter.
As many as 26 positions will be available, several of which will be posted online by the end of the week according to Fugate.
Positions include; director, supervisors, leads officers and dispatch.
Current animal control officers will be able to apply for jobs with KC Pet Project if they choose to.
Tori Fugate, corporate communications officer for KC Pet Project, told 41 Action News if they choose not to reapply, the city will work to find them jobs within the city with comparable pay and position title.
Fugate also said KC Pet Project has been in the animal sheltering service for eight years and privatizing any city service is a big step.
“The city council really took a chance on us," she said. "We were not an existing organization. Most of us at the staff level, we’re all new to animal welfare, myself included. And we have proven time and time again that we are capable, we are putting Kansas City on the map in terms of animal sheltering. We want to do this right.”
Fugate said before last week’s City Council vote, Animal Control had roughly eight or nine people left on staff with the city.
