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SB 344 Died. Newborn Puppies and Kittens Are Still at Risk SB 344, the bill that would allow shelters to place neonates in foster homes during the stray hold period, did not pass in the 2026 legislative session. Without this bill, Kansas shelters cannot place fragile newborn puppies and kittens in foster homes during the state-mandated 3-day stray-hold period. SB 344 had strong legislative support as it progressed through the session. It passed the Senate unanimously and re

The Kansas Pet Advocates Newsletter brings you the latest updates on animal welfare legislation, advocacy efforts, and opportunities to make a difference for pets and the people who care for them across Kansas. We need your support - TAKE ACTION NOW: Learn more about each of these bills where they are in the legislative process, and how you can support passag e in the articles below. :  SB 344 - Neonate Transfer: Submit Testimony by Monday at 4:30 PM HB 2535 - Decriminal

Governor Appoints Jackie Keller to KPAAB Governor Laura Kelly announces Jackie Keller of Topeka, Kansas as the newest appointee to the Kansas Pet Animal Advisory Board (KPAAB) as the private citizen representative. She loves animals and is an advocate for better laws protecting pet animals. In the photo to the left she is with her rescue dog, Festus. Jackie works as the Conservation Outreach Coordinator for the Kansas Rural Center , a nonprofit organization dedicated to st

AFI regulation is too expensive KPA shows legislative approval is needed KPA found that AFI's proposed regulation, K.A.R. 9-18-21(b)(4)(B), requiring every puppy and kitten under four months old to get a full physical exam from a licensed veterinarian before being sold or adopted, would cost licensees about $1.74 million each year. This triggers the requirement for legislative approval under KSA 77-416 , since the implementation and compliance costs exceed $1 million in the

Your help is needed! Calculating the impact of proposed regulations requiring new exams for puppies and kittens What you’ve told us : Several shelters and rescues have said the proposed new requirement in K.A.R. 9-18-21(b)(4)(B) to have a licensed veterinarian examine all animals younger than 4 months before adoption would impose significant financial burdens. What the law requires : State agencies must write and send an economic impact report on every proposed new regulati

Share Your Stories with KPA to Bring Action! Shelters and rescues are dealing with a serious animal overpopulation problem across Kansas. Kansas Pet Advocates (KPA) is urging the administration to help shelters and rescues manage their population by clarifying policies and regulations to: Permit the transfer of sick dogs and cats to other licensed shelters or rescues, and place sick cats in foster homes Eliminate the burdensome requirement that shelters and rescues have spay-

KDA Kansas Pet Animal Advisory Board Meeting Thank you to all the KPA partners who were able to attend the Kansas Department of Agriculture (KDA) Kansas Pet Animal Advisory Board (KPAAB) meeting on Wednesday. Several important topics were discussed, including an AFI update, which included the 2024-2025 inspection statistics, Spay/Neuter Grant Program report and regulation changes. You can access all the data from the meeting in the slide deck from June meeting . The next KDA

IMPORTANT: Respond To The Newest Proposed Draft Regulation Changes The Kansas Department of Agriculture Animal Facilities Inspection program has released its newest proposed draft regulation changes and is inviting the public to comment until Friday, June 6. Click here for the proposed changes and public comment portal. Linked to this newsletter are the comments Kansas Pet Advocates intends to submit in response to KDA’s request for feedback. These changes reflect input fro