The state of Kansas has ordered Unleashed Pet Rescue in Mission to immediately stop taking in animals amid an ongoing investigation into the animal shelter.
At the same time, the Kansas Department of Agriculture’s Animal Facilities Inspection program is continuing to work to revoke the shelter’s license following alleged violations found during an inspection last fall.
State issued emergency order on Friday
- Heather Lansdowne, director of communications for the Kansas Department of Agriculture, confirmed to the Post via email that the agency’s animal health commissioner issued an emergency order on Friday to Unleashed “to immediately cease and desist intaking animals at its licensed premises.”
- Lansdowne said the order is effective immediately and is to “remain in place until the [license] revocation matter is resolved.”
- No hearing has been scheduled for the order to revoke the shelter’s license, Landsowne said.
- Lansdowne did not immediately respond to the Post’s follow-up inquiry asking about what led to the emergency order or about the next steps in the revocation process.
Mission had already stopped sending animals to Unleashed
- After a years-long partnership, the city of Mission earlier this month announced it was no longer sending impounded animals to Unleashed.
- In light of the state’s investigation into Unleashed’s license, Mission city officials confirmed they were instead partnering with Melissa’s Second Chances in Shawnee.
- Mission provides impounding animal services for other Johnson County cities, including Roeland Park and Fairway.
Unleashed’s license status remains up in the air
- An October inspection, conducted by the state’s Animal Facilities Inspection program, found insufficient floor space in some kennels, Unleashed’s attorney Court T. Kennedy previously told the Post.
- Unleashed also came under scrutiny more recently after Fox 4 reported on customer and former employee complaints about the shelter’s conditions, including “dog bowls full of cockroaches, injured or sick animals.”
- Kennedy, Unleashed’s attorney, did not immediately respond to the Post’s request for comment for this story or to comment about the emergency order.
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