By Abby York, Former Chair Kansas City Dog Advocates
Dogs are a part of our society. For some dog owners that means a daily walk and lounging on the coach, for others that means participating in sports and shows, and finally there are working dogs whose purpose is for the greater good in society. Responsible dog owners may experience life with their dog in all of these ways, yet few dog owners realize that being a dog owner also means being a citizen.
What does it mean to be a good citizen? As a professional of sorts in this area, I believe being a good citizen means being aware of your rights and responsibilities.
Many dog owners are generally aware of animal control laws that impact them, but only one in a thousand dog owners takes the next step to become a “citizen.” Being a citizen means participating in politics, recognizing that elected officials and bureaucrats are serving you. All too often dog owners are scared to speak up or are unaware of how to lobby for their rights.
Over the past two years, I have witnessed Kansas City area dog owners become citizens. These citizens speak eloquently at public hearings. They call meetings with their mayors, aldermen, and councilmen. They write letters to the editor. They are improving the lives of dogs, protecting our rights as dog owners, and making our communities better places for people and pets.
For some freshly minted dog owning citizens, the change comes naturally when a law threatened to take away their beloved family member. Others are converted by neighbors, family members, and friends.
Kansas City Dog Advocates is dedicated to teaching people to find their voice. My heart swells with pride every time I see a new KCDA member make their first speech. We can make a difference one citizen at a time. We challenge you to become a citizen today!
Kansas City Dog Advocates is happy to provide resources for you to educate politicians and bureaucrats about effective canine legislation in your community. We have documents available for presentation at council meetings, aid in writing letters, making phone calls, and generally becoming a dog advocate.
Within the larger Kansas City region, we are happy to conduct citizen training at community forums. Contact us if you would like us to speak about our experiences, provide materials, and teach you about your rights and responsibilities as dog owners and advocates. Contact Kansas City Dog Advocates at
mailto:CommunityForum@KCDogAdvocates.org if you would like a Community Forum in your area. We will teach you your rights and responsibilities and arm you with information to pass effective canine legislation.
Ten Quick Tips to Becoming a Citizen Advocate
1) Register to vote; and VOTE!!!
2) Get to know your politicians
3) Remember that politicians and bureaucrats serve you
4) Call the city clerk to obtain current ordinances and information about hearing times
5) Become familiar with your animal control ordinances
6) Learn what changes could be made to code enforcement/implementation and ordinances to improve community safety and animal welfare
7) Call politicians when educating them (emails are a mostly wasted medium for political advocacy)
8) Set up meetings with representatives; face to face is the most effective medium for advocacy (see number 3; they should give you at least five minutes of their time)
9) Plan ahead with other advocates when preparing to speak at public hearings in order to reduce redundancy and cover all relevant topics
10) Although we know you love your dog, do not talk about your dog during testimony; stick to community impacts to be most effective
Citizens in your community are the best advocates for effective and fair legislation! Check out Casey Martinez''s article for inspiration.