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Session of 2026
HOUSE BILL No. 2581
By Committee on Agriculture and Natural Resources
Requested by Jasmine Kyle on behalf of the Southeast Kansas Humane Society
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AN ACT concerning animals; relating to the pet animal act; authorizing
animal shelters to move neonate animals needing treatment or care to a
foster home; requiring shelters to display photographs of animals at a
location other than the shelter during a holding period; amending
K.S.A. 47-1710 and repealing the existing section.
Be it enacted by the Legislature of the State of Kansas:
Section 1. K.S.A. 47-1710 is hereby amended to read as follows: 47-
1710. (a) (1) An animal shall not be disposed of by an owner or operator of
a pound or of an animal shelter as a pound until after expiration of a
holding period that shall be a minimum of three full business days of
custody during which the public has clear access to inspect and recover the
animal through time periods ordinarily accepted as usual business hours.
During such time of custody holding period, any owner or operator of such
facility shall attempt to notify the owner or custodian of any animal
maintained or impounded by such facility if such owner or custodian is
known or reasonably ascertainable. Such an animal may at any time be:
(A) Released to the legal owner,;
(B) moved to a veterinary hospital for treatment or observation,;
(C) moved to a foster home, if the animal is a neonate needing
treatment or care that the shelter cannot provide;
(D) released in any manner, if such animal was a gift animal to an
animal shelter,; or
(E) euthanized by a duly incorporated humane society or by a
licensed veterinarian if it appears to an officer of such humane society or
to such veterinarian that the animal is diseased or disabled beyond
recovery for any useful purpose.
(2) During the holding period established in paragraph (1), a
photograph of an animal that is at a location other than the shelter shall
be displayed at the shelter and on the shelter's website.
(b) After the expiration of the holding period established in
subsection (a)(1), the governing body of a political subdivision regulating
the operation of a pound shall have ownership of such animal and shall
determine the method of disposition of any animal. Any pound releasing
live animals to prospective owners shall comply with the provisions
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established in of K.S.A. 47-1731, and amendments thereto. Any such
proceeds derived from the sale or other disposition of such animals shall
be paid directly to the treasurer of the political subdivision, and no part of
such proceeds shall accrue to any individual.
(c) After the expiration of the holding period established in
subsection (a)(1), the board of directors of any humane society operating
an animal shelter as a pound, shall have ownership of such animal and
shall determine the method of disposition of any animal. Any animal
shelter releasing live animals to prospective owners shall comply with the
provisions established in of K.S.A. 47-1731, and amendments thereto. Any
such proceeds derived from such sale or disposition shall be paid directly
to the treasurer of the humane society and no part of such proceeds shall
accrue to any individual.
Sec. 2. K.S.A. 47-1710 is hereby repealed.
Sec. 3. This act shall take effect and be in force from and after its
publication in the statute book.
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