Kalie Strain
Editorial Assistant
Northeast News 

On Jan. 24, KC Pet Project held its grand opening and ribbon-cutting for the Kansas City Campus for Animal Care (KCCAC) at 7077 Elmwood Ave in Swope Park. 

The KC Pet Project is a no-kill shelter that has been serving Kansas City, Missouri since 2012. KCCAC was built with the support of GOKC bonds.

“Today we are gathered here in what we can now say is the most state-of-the-art municipal animal shelter in America,” said KCCAC Co-founder and Board Chair Roshann Parris. 

The new campus was designed to create a fear-free environment for all animals, which includes separation of species. 

The facility also has outdoor patios for cats, a state-of-the-art veterinary clinic, a coffee shop, and a retail store.

“Kansas City is making it,” said U.S. Rep. Emanuel Cleaver in a speech before the ribbon-cutting. “And sometimes… slowly but surely, all of the things that will make this city one of the greatest cities in the country in the future are taking place.”

“Just think about this: there is no other animal shelter that you can visit anywhere on planet earth where there’s a coffee shop and a fireplace on a patio,” said Cleaver. “Listen, this is big time. This isn’t just some animal shelter; this is a pet project.”

The Kansas City Pet Project took in over 10,000 animals in 2019 and found homes for 7,619 of the animals in their care. 

Their new campus will provide more space for stray animals, provide adoption services, lost and found pet services, and stray and owner-surrender intakes.

“Pets need a voice,” said Traci Semenok, the clinic manager at KCCAC. “They go through so much in their lives and there are people that either can’t provide the care that they can or have just neglected to, and so being here I get to help provide that care and medical care and get them healthy and happy and then out the door.”

“That’s my favorite thing is to get to see these animals come full circle,” she said. “The ones that are broken, or scared, or dirty and then bring them in here and get them all cleaned up and spiffed up and then send them on their way.”

To learn more about KC Campus for Animal Care and the KC Pet Project, adopting a pet, donating or how to volunteer, visit www.kcpetproject.org.