Unleashed Pet Rescue and Adoption, an animal shelter in Mission, is trying to keep its license in order to stay open and operate.
Last week, the shelter formally requested a hearing to appeal the state’s recent order revoking its license.
The state’s decision comes after a state inspection last fall at Unleashed turned up violations.
The shelter has also faced complaints in more recent months from former employees and customers that its facility is unsafe and animals there are living in unsanitary conditions.
State received Unleashed’s appeal request last week
- Heather Lansdowne, the Kansas Department of Agriculture’s communications director, told the Post the department’s legal counsel received the shelter’s formal appeals request on Friday.
- The shelter is appealing the state’s March 14 order revoking its license issued by Department of Agriculture’s Animal Facilities Inspection program.
- The date of a hearing is yet to be determined, Lansdowne said.
What could happen
- After the hearing, a judge will decide whether or not to uphold the state’s revocation order.
- Lansdowne said the department’s legal counsel could not speak to how common it is for appeals to revocation orders to be approved because the revocation orders themselves are uncommon.
- “Most licensees choose to make the necessary changes to their business to correct their violations so that they are in compliance with the Pet Animal Act,” Lansdowne told the Post.
Unleashed’s license remains intact for now
- Lansdowne previously told the Post that under normal circumstances, “a licensee can continue all operations including intaking animals in the meantime.”
- However, an earlier emergency order issued to Unleashed on March 10 prevents the shelter from taking in any more animals for the time being.
- Appeal hearings for the license revocation order will be conducted by the Office of Administrative Hearings, Lansdowne told the Post.
- Meanwhile, the city of Mission earlier this month ended its partnership with the shelter and is no longer sending impounded animals to Unleashed.
State inspection in October identified violations
- The Oct. 24 inspection, conducted by the state’s Animal Facilities Inspection program, is at the root of the order to revoke Unleashed’s license.
- The state found alleged violations during that inspection, which Court T. Kennedy, Unleashed’s attorney, previously told the Post included some kennels with insufficient floor space.
- Kennedy confirmed to the Post that Unleashed has submitted an appeal request but declined any further comment.
- As of Monday, Unleashed was continuing to promote animals up for adoption on its Facebook page.
