KCMO Announces New Animal Health & Public Safety Procedures

From the City of Kansas City:

10/28/2019 9:20 AM

Next spring, the City’s Animal Health and Public Safety operation will transition to an outside contractor that will perform these services for the City. Until then, we have adjusted some animal health procedures.

The following changes are taking effect immediately:

• Current staff on duty from 8 a.m. to 7 p m. Monday through Friday (KCPD will respond to after-hours emergency calls).
• Limited staff on duty from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday and Sunday.
• AHOs (Animal Health Officers) will continue to respond to essential calls, including bite and animal cruelty incidents, assisting KCPD and KCFD and wildlife in home case.

About 90 percent of the calls currently answered involve bites and animal cruelty.

"KCMO residents should notice little to no change in animal health services," acting animal health manager Gerald Countz said.

Division supervisors will continually evaluate procedures and determine appropriate changes as necessary.

This press release was produced by the City of Kansas City. The views expressed here are the author’s own.