Kansas City council member proposes taking back animal control duties [Video]

Kansas City, Missouri, could regain control of its animal enforcement services from KC Pet Project if a new ordinance is approved. The non-profit organization, which has managed the city’s animal control services since 2017, says the proposal came as a surprise.The ordinance, sponsored solely by Councilmember Melissa Patterson Hazley, is linked to a Change.org petition that has garnered 475 signatures. While Patterson Hazley declined to comment, the proposal has sparked debate over the effectiveness and cost-efficiency of the current system.“We were surprised at the announcement,” said Tori Fugate, a spokesperson for KC Pet Project.The shelter’s Animal Services Division handles approximately 15,000 cases annually with a team of 25 highly trained employees. Fugate said that KC Pet Project has significantly improved animal welfare enforcement in Kansas City.“We are referring more cases to state prosecutors than ever before and seeing more criminal charges for egregious acts of animal cruelty than in the …