KANSAS CITY, Mo. — The Kansas City, Missouri, City Council will discuss a resolution on Thursday to once again make animal services within city limits be handled by the city.
Right now, they're operated by the Kansas City Pet Project.
Controversy over the city outsourcing animal services is something KSHB 41 covered over the years, and more recently, a push for change has come from the family of a man who was mauled to death by a pack of dogs last month in south KCMO.
Chris Culbertson died from injuries sustained in the attack on Nov. 2 in the 3200 block of east 80th Street.
"That’s a good first step; that's what we want," said Angela Culbertson, Chris Culbertson's sister.
For Angela Culbertson, it's not just about getting accountability in the death of her brother, but from other dog owners too.
"It was not handled the way it should be handled this time whatsoever. I don't wish it to happen to anyone, but if it does, there needs to be some sort of system set that holds these people accountable for their actions," she said. "It needs to go in the hands of someone who's going to enforce the laws."
KCMO councilwoman Melissa Patterson Hazley is backing the change. She says it was prompted by recent constituent feedback over the course of many months.
"They want some confidence; they want to know if they report something, it gets taken seriously," Patterson Hazley said.
Patterson Hazley said residents have requested the animal services return to being handled by the city.
"I've heard from the community that they want animal services to come back to city hall, encouraging an aspect at the level of confidence that the community has in the city that it has to manage its animal services," she said.
She thinks there could be more education for Kansas Citians on pet laws, including leash laws, behavior issues, how to report a problem, what citizens have to do to follow through, and clarity of what animal services responsibility is.
"Because we're at a crossroads; it is an opportunity for us to figure out what were the pitfalls and why was it so difficult to really manage," Patterson Hazley said. "The staff here is really eager to solve the problem and is always involved when we get these pretty significant complaints."
Holly Lane, who was trying to help Chris Culbertson, was also injured in the attack.
Lane now says she doesn’t have faith in how animal services is operated, especially because dogs on the property in question have recently escaped twice.
"Somebody had to chase after it with a shovel to get it back in its yard," Lane said.
If the council accepts the resolution Thursday, then a budget plan of how much money is needed to gear up with staff and equipment.
Currently, KC Pet Project receives $2.3 million of the city's budget.
"I don’t know what the plan would be of how much it costs, but I do know the cost is not necessarily the biggest issue right now — the biggest issue is that we need a better approach to animal services," Patterson Hazley said.
KSHB 41 received the following statement from KCPP:
KC Pet Project has proudly provided animal control services to the residents of Kansas City since 2020, serving nearly half a million community members annually. With a dedicated team of 25 employees, including professionally trained field officers and dispatch staff, we manage over 15,000 calls for service each year – an increase from when the city ran this division - ensuring the safety and well-being of both people and animals. Our division is recognized as one of the most respected animal control programs in the nation, a testament to our commitment to progressive and compassionate animal services.
Today, we were informed that some city officials wish the City would perform animal control services versus KC Pet Project continuing to perform this function. This announcement comes as a surprise and poses significant concerns for the continuity of services. 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. 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.
KC Pet Project has proven its ability to deliver efficient and effective animal control services since 2020, and we remain committed to serving the residents of Kansas City with the highest standards of care. We currently have a contract for services in effect until April 30, 2025, with an option for a one-year extension beyond that, and we hope to continue to be the City’s vendor for these services in the future. We believe our professionally trained Animal Services Division is in the best position to continue providing the most effective and efficient services for residents and animals in Kansas City
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