KANSAS ANIMAL CONTROL ASSOCIATION
COVID-19 Response
KACA wants you and your community to stay safe and well during the COVID pandemic. We encourage all of our officers to develop common sense safety protocols for their specific jurisdictions that will keep officers, the public, and animals safe during this time. The National Animal Control Association has developed some guidelines that can be used to help develop protocols. Please let us know if there is anything we can do to help you and your community.
ABOUT
Our Roots
The Kansas Animal Control Association was formed in 1978. We are a state-wide organization that provides education, training, and support to workers in the animal care and control field. We are dedicated to the advocacy for animal welfare and to increasing interaction with public and community groups. Although we receive no federal or state funding, through private and corporate donations, our members are provided the much needed network base, training, education, and support. The mission of the Kansas Animal Control Association is to serve the needs of those involved in the welfare of animals throughout the state of Kansas. We are dedicated to providing training and education to promote professionalism and pride in the animal care and control field.
"The greatness of a nation and its moral progress can be judged by the way its animals are treated."
Ghandi
OUR STANCE ON BSL
The Kansas Animal Control Association takes the following stance in regards to Breed Specific Legislation (BSL): BSL is commonly perceived to be a proactive measure to prevent public safety issues that are thought to be associated with certain breeds. However, implementing breed restrictions/bans has negative and unintended consequences such as imparting a false sense of security by creating the illusion that a municipality cannot have these particular breeds simply because of a ban or restriction. Other unintended consequences of BSL are dogs of these breeds go into hiding instead of being removed from the jurisdiction, good animal owners and their dogs are unfairly punished, and these laws can actually encourage ownership by irresponsible people. Also, jurisdictions need to take into consideration that these specific bans/restrictions will not cover emerging and uncommon breeds that have unsafe tendencies and historically poor dispositions.
The Kansas Animal Control Associations recommends implementing laws that are truly effective and can be applied fairly to all breeds and not be discriminatory to certain breeds and their owners. An effective law that allows jurisdictions to keep their citizens safe is a Dangerous Animal Ordinance, which would allow the totality of the circumstances in each incident to be evaluated and an educated decision to be made to the guilt of the animal owner and animal. After guilt has been established, then the authority in that jurisdiction can divide what action(s) must be taken by the animal owner in a time frame to prevent a recurrence of that violation which placed citizens in danger. A Dangerous Animal Ordinance will allow for a municipality to be able to react as new breeds enter their towns.
There is no behavior that is unique to a single breed or kind of dog. A dog’s physical and behavioral traits will be the result of multiple factors including genetics, training, management, and environment. Promoting positive animal/human interaction and responsible animal ownership are the most effective ways to have a safe and animal friendly community.
CONTACT KANSAS ANIMAL CONTROL ASSOCIATION
PO Box 7224, Overland Park, KS 66207