dogs

Urban and suburban school districts may have a funding and staffing edge, but small rural districts say their close-knit communities make it easier to identify and support unhoused students. Plus: A website called Sniffspot lets Kansans rent their backyards or other spaces as puppy playgrounds.

Sniffspot, a short-term rental website and app, lets property owners rent out their yards or other spaces as private dog parks. So far there are about 200 Sniffspots in Kansas, but the number is growing.

Kansas City officials have signaled they want to retake control of animal control services from KC Pet Project. City Councilmember Melissa Patterson Hazley says the next iteration of animal control must ensure irresponsible pet owners face consequences.

Dogs don’t talk to us the way our human best friends do, but they are biologically prepared to communicate with us in a range of ways. What if we could understand our furry companions better? Dr. Emily Bray, a canine cognition specialist, says that dogs are better at understanding us than we are them, but there are ways we can bridge the gap.

KC Pet Project has handled animal control services in Kansas City for the past four years, with an emphasis on education for pet owners. But some animal rescue groups say their approach is keeping dangerous dogs on the streets, and want the city to take back operations.

Violence is nothing new to Kansas City youth. The No More Bullying! program at Wayside Waifs, a no-kill shelter, wants to stop the cycle using education and prevention.

The child was attacked two weeks ago by three to four dogs and rushed to the hospital. KC Pet Project says it is still investigating in the incident.

As kids flock to libraries for summer reading programs, one of the most popular programs is Read to a Dog. Children get ten minutes to read a book of their choice to a therapy dog — or sometimes cat — trained to listen and watch calmly and without judgment.

Animal ordinance citations have dropped dramatically since KC Pet Project took over animal control from Kansas City. While the nonprofit says the drop in tickets is evidence of success, other animal advocates worry it's leaving dangerous dogs on the streets.

Since KC Pet Project took over animal control from the city, citations have dropped precipitously, for everything from keeping dangerous dogs to having pets spayed and neutered.

Independence, Kearney and Leawood are the last remaining cities in the Kansas City metro that still ban residents from owning pit bulls. Dog-loving residents in Independence are trying to collect more than 3,000 signatures in order to force a city-wide vote on repealing the ban.

Two Kansas City-area animal shelters say their kennels are full, and in one shelter, animals are living in offices and training rooms.