Latest news with #KCPP
Yahoo
13-03-2025
- Yahoo
KC Pet Project responds to recent lawsuit over deadly dog mauling incident
KANSAS CITY, Mo. — A woman hurt in a dog mauling last year that took the life of a man . KC Pet Project said it was her own dogs that had been terrorizing the neighborhood for two years before and after the attack. A FOX4 investigation reveals that dogs even posed a danger to law enforcement. The . The dogs belonged to John Thibeaux and killed 46-year-old Chris Culbertson. A woman named Holly Lane ran to help and, in the process, was bitten. Now Lane is suing KC Pet Project, saying in part in the lawsuit:'Prior to November 2, 2024, KCPP had received multiple complaints from residents that various pit bull dogs in the neighborhood had escaped their enclosures.' Salty Iguana customers claim employees weren't paid last check Documentation dating back to January of 2023 shows otherwise. 'We can confirm that those dogs we were looking for in 2023 and were the subject of the directed patrol were German shepherds from the household of Holly Lane,' said Katie Barnett, general counsel for KC Pet Project. The calls range from a woman who was scared after these dogs, living in Lane's home, roamed freely for months, even attacking her dogs, according to reports obtained by FOX4. The reports detail how the caller was scared for children getting off the bus after school. Even after the attack, the police were called again. The dogs were so aggressive that the police didn't feel comfortable getting out of their car. On that day, the person who responded to the police as the owner of the dogs was Holly Lane. 'Yes, we do believe these dogs should be taken off the streets for public safety. I mean, it's clear that for two years these German shepherds have been terrorizing this neighborhood,' Barnett said. FOX4 drove by Lane's home and saw one German shepherd. FOX4 found three citations, all for dogs in Lane's home. Due to an ordinance in Kansas City, KC Pet Project can't take the dogs unless they catch them roaming again or if they are voluntarily surrendered. In the midst of this, with , the organization wants to set the record straight. In their view, they did their due diligence and will continue to support the community. 2 people dead after a house fire in Higginsville 'We are absolutely committed to the community. The residents, the people, and the pets of Kansas City have depended on us for over a decade, and we will absolutely continue to do our good work,' Barnett said. To be clear, KC Pet Project says they have no record of any calls about loose pit bulls in this neighborhood. FOX4 reached Lane's attorney, Mike White, to share this information with him and to get a response for this story. He paused and then said, 'No comment.' Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
08-03-2025
- Yahoo
Lawsuit filed against KC Pet Project over 2024 deadly dog mauling incident
KANSAS CITY, Mo. — A Kansas City woman has filed a lawsuit against Kansas City Pet Project KCPP) for negligence, saying not enough was done before a man was killed in a dog mauling attack last November. The dog , when 46-year-old Chris Culbertson was riding his bike in the area of E. 80th Street and College Avenue. Holly Lane, who filed the lawsuit, lives next door to where the dog attack occurred. The lawsuit claims the pit bulls were held in a fenced area, but there were multiple holes in the fence. When Lane tried to save Culbertson, she used a golf club she specifically kept to fight off the dogs. Lane was bitten and injured in the attack as well. 20-year-old man convicted in 2023 I-70 road rage killing near Oak Grove The attack on Culbertson continued for 23 minutes until police arrived. Lane's lawsuit claims that KCPP was negligent because they didn't write enough citations. KC Pet Project said the violations in November included possession of an unaltered pit bull type dog and failure to display a city license. Online records show the owner was ticketed again for the same thing in January. The lawsuit points out there were holes in the fence where the dogs were kept. Prior to the attack on Culberson, Lane, her husband and others had been attacked and complained about pit bulls in the neighborhood. Lane said the prior attacks in the area led KCPP to label the neighborhood a 'directed patrol area' but she alleges in the lawsuit proper patrols were not seen. The Jackson County Prosecutor's Office told FOX4 this was the first death by dog mauling in Kansas City history. Lane claims she's suffered severe physical, psychological and emotional injuries and is suing for damages. Download the FOX4 News app on iPhone and Android The homeowner where the dogs were kept has been cited, but not criminally charged. On Thursday night, the Kansas City Council voted to take over animal control from KCPP. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
28-02-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
City Council weighs in on KC taking over animal control services
KANSAS CITY, Mo. – Kansas City's intent to take over municipal animal control services takes an aggressive step on Thursday. City councilmembers are weighing a new ordinance to insource animal control services, which are currently managed by KC Pet Project. City leaders claim they've heard too many complaints about KCPP's response time, and animal control officers' failure to impound dangerous animals. The city's contract for animal control services with KC Pet Project will expire on April 30, less than two months from now. This is the second city ordinance introduced with a potential takeover in mind. Current KC Pet Project leaders say the concerns that have been expressed are outdated. Olathe Public Schools adjusts calendar following snow days, time added to day On Thursday afternoon, the first reading of the ordinance, as sponsored by Kansas City Third District Councilwoman Melissa Patterson Hazley, was waived, but it was entered into the docket as having been read, setting up a second reading on Tuesday afternoon. If approved there, it will advance to a council meeting for potential final approval. Forest Decker, Kansas City's manager of Neighborhood Services, would manage animal control under this plan. Decker said the public has complained that KC Pet Project is ineffective in providing these services, and his department is more capable. 'We are geared for this type of work. We do it with neighborhood preservation. We do it with regulated industries. We do it with short-term rentals, and we do it with all of these other factors. There's no difference here, except that it's dealing with animals,' Decker said on Thursday. KC Pet Project saw major leadership changes in December, when CEO Teresa Johnson and COO Chad Ackerman left their positions. Ackerman cited concerns that the city intended to perform more animal euthanasia, a claim current leadership refutes. KCPP promotes itself as a no-kill shelter, but concerns of overcrowding were common. 'KC Pet Project is certainly able to serve as animal control,' KC Pet Project Attorney Katie Barnett, said. Barnett said those complaints were more common under past leaders. The ordinance calls for use of $500,000 from city budgets to make this move. Download the FOX4 News app on iPhone and Android 'All we needed was a change in leadership. We needed a change in structure. Certainly, we needed to communicate with our community the city council better, and that's what we've done,' Barnett said. Councilwoman Patterson Hazley's staff rejected FOX4's request for an interview on this topic. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
13-02-2025
- Yahoo
Three dogs seek new homes after Northland triple homicide. Are you their future family?
After a Kansas City grandmother, mother and granddaughter were killed in a triple shooting in Kansas City's Northland, their three surviving dogs are looking for new homes. Jodie Hopcus, 49, Sherri Duncan, 73, and Hailey Hopcus, 24, were fatally shot in their home in the 4100 block of Northwest 65th Street early Feb. 2. A fourth family member, Jodie Hopcus' daughter Angel, survived the shooting. Hopcus' ex-boyfriend, Armando Navarro Jr., who also lived in the home, has been arrested and charged with the three murders, as well as with fatally shooting one of the family dogs. He is being held without bond, and Platte County Prosecutor Eric Zahnd is currently considering the death penalty. The survivor told investigators that Navarro and her mother had fought for about an hour before Navarro allegedly attacked family members with a gun and knife. Zahnd described the triple homicide as 'one of the worst crimes that I have prosecuted in my 22 years of prosecution.' After the shooting, the family's three surviving dogs were taken in by the Animal Services Division of the Kansas City Pet Project. All friendly, social and housebroken, the three dogs are currently at the shelter and looking for new homes. Lilly May, a 4 1/2-year-old dog with huge brown eyes and high spirits, is one of the victims' beloved pets looking for a new family. A master of tricks such as 'sit and shake,' Lilly May loves playing fetch and is well-trained to take long walks on a leash, Kansas City Pet Project staff wrote on Facebook. She would do well in a home with other dogs, shelter staff wrote, as long as they have calm demeanors. 'Lilly May is the ultimate 'move-in ready' dog!' shelter staff wrote. Three-year-old Duncan, a jowly black-and-white gentleman with floppy ears, is also seeking new companions. KCPP staff describe Duncan as 'a calm, reserved gentleman with a gentle soul.' Like his siblings, Duncan is trained to respond to various commands and would take well to the company of other dogs, according to staff. 'His tail perks up at the thought of a walk and his sweet kisses will steal your heart,' shelter staff wrote. Also looking for love: 5 1/2-year-old Milo, a loyal black Lab with a jaunty tail and a passion for tennis balls. Milo has epilepsy, which is easily managed with twice-daily medication, according to KCPP staff. Life at KC Pet Project has been a rough transition for the gentle giant, who is currently in a foster home. However, staff are confident that Milo's snuggly, exuberant personality will shine through in a loving home, ideally with other dogs. 'He's stressed in the shelter, but we know he's a cherished pet who just wants to be back in a home where he can play with tennis balls and snuggle,' KCPP staff wrote on Facebook. Those interested in learning more about Lilly May, Duncan and Milo can visit the KC Pet Project website or stop by the shelter from noon to 6 p.m. daily. On Wednesdays, dogs weighing 20 pounds or more are free to adopt at KCPP's downtown and Zona Rosa campuses. Funeral services for the family will be Feb. 28, and a fundraiser benefiting Angel, the surviving daughter, has raised more than $26,000 as of Wednesday night. Previous reporting by The Star's Noelle Alviz-Gransee contributed to this article.
