Kansas City Code Chapter 14 empowers Animal Health and Public Safety to seize animals from hoarding situations, with criminal referral to the Jackson, Clay, Platte, or Cass County prosecutor under Missouri animal cruelty statutes.
Kansas City Code Chapter 14 defines neglect and cruelty consistent with Missouri Revised Statutes Chapter 578, allowing KC Animal Health and Public Safety officers to enter premises with a warrant, seize animals showing inadequate food, water, shelter, or sanitation, and refer felony cases to the prosecutor in whichever of the four counties the residence sits. Civil custody costs (boarding, vet, food) are charged to the responsible party. Repeat hoarders may be barred from owning animals as a condition of probation. KC Pet Project typically intakes seized animals.
Animal hoarding can be charged as misdemeanor neglect under Mo. Stat. §578.012 or felony torture under §578.176, with seizure costs assessed civilly per animal per day.
Kansas City, MO
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See how Kansas City's animal hoarding rules stack up against other locations.
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