News & Media

2024 Articles

KCTV5 Cold Weather CoverageKCTV5 by Ryan Hennessy

MERRIAM, Kan. (KCTV) – In response to the recent — and upcoming — freezing temperatures, the Great Plains SPCA is reminding pet owners of their effort to ensure the well-being of dogs that are typically kept outdoors. View Full Story

2023 Articles

Tom waiting for his forever homeNewsweek by Jack Beresford

A rescue dog has clocked up over 737 days at an animal shelter and staff still don’t know why no one has come forward to give him a loving home. View Full Story

After being seized from their previous owner due to animal cruelty, three dogs have had to wait more than a year before they could finally be put up for adoption.Newsweek by Alice Gibbs

After being seized from their previous owner due to animal cruelty, three dogs have had to wait more than a year before they could finally be put up for adoption. View Full Story

City-wide Spay and Neuter ClinicThe Pitch KC by Mar’Che Boggess

10 local animal welfare organizations are teaming up to host a community wide spay and neuter clinic this Sunday, Nov 12. View Full Story

Newsweek by Alice Gibbs

An animal shelter has put out an urgent call for help after revealing that one of its dogs has had no interest from potential adopters for more than 260 days. View Full Story

Rodney waiting for a home - Kansas City StarKansas City Star by Eric Adler

The Kansas City area’s animal shelters are overwhelmed, with hundreds of dogs up for adoption. View Full Story

Great Plains SPCA seeking help after power outageKCTV5 by Gabe Swartz

MERRIAM, Kan. (KCTV) – The Great Plains SPCA is asking for help after a power outage has significantly impacted its operations.

“We need currently registered fosters to step up and furlough,” the organization urged Saturday morning after power outages hit the Kansas City metro following Friday storms. View Full Story

KC area residents navigating after days without powerFox 4 KC by

KANSAS CITY, Mo. — For nearly 20,000 people across the metro, the power was still out on Sunday night. For those who’ve had theirs restored, the focus has switched to clean-up.  

It’s been three days since severe weather brought plenty of damage across the metro. Evergy says this is the largest restoration job in its five-year history.

 View Full Story

The Pitch by AJ Stutzer Every day solo catchers and group trappers work tirelessly to locate, humanely capture, “fix,” and safely return Kansas City’s loose dogs and cats to proper shelters. Most of the city’s wily trappers donate their time to ensnaring scared, lost pets, and they do it for their love of animals—and the game. View Full Story
The Pitch by Amanda Hadlock
Local animal activist Scott Poore, who writes The Pitch’s Creature Feature (a weekly column showcasing local adoptable animals) has been named Chief of Advocacy and Media Relations at Great Plains SPCA. View Full Story
Shanee Mission Post by Kyle Palmer
Prairie Village Police say a resident called, saying an orange tabby cat was trying to get into her home near 75th and Windsor. When animal control officers scanned the cat for an implanted microchip, they discovered it was owned by someone in Miami. View Full Story
Puppy Pooper BowlFox 4 KC by Sydnie Savage
KANSAS CITY, Mo. — With the Kansas City Chiefs set to take on the Philadelphia Eagles in Super Bowl LVII, Great Plains SPCA will be launching a game of its own to help pets in need. Shelter supporters have the chance to win up to $300 by placing a bet in the Puppy Pooper Bowl. View Full Story

The Pitch by Sarah Moore
Shelters in Kansas City and surrounding areas have run out of room to keep large dogs. Four shelters came together to ask the community for help. Great Plains SPCA, KCK Animal Services, Melissa’s Second Chances, and Humane Society of Greater Kansas City report that they are having to convert staff offices, training rooms, medical exam rooms, and conference rooms to spaces to hold large dogs because their kennels are overflowing. View Full Story

Fox 4 KC by Karra Small

KANSAS CITY, Kan. — Four animal shelters in the Kansas City metro are sounding the alarm, saying they are at crisis capacity.

Great Plains SPCA, KCK Animal Services, Melissa’s Second Chances and Humane Society of Greater Kansas City are all at max capacity with large dogs.
View Full Story

2022 Articles

KCUR - Shelters in Crisis

KCUR
Two Kansas City-area animal shelters say their kennels are full, and in one shelter, animals are living in offices and training rooms. Inflation and residual effects of the pandemic have caused an influx of pets arriving to Kansas City’s animal shelters.
“We have no kennel space left,” said Tracy Lewandowski, director of operations at Great Plains SPCA. View Full Story

Fox 4 News

MERRIAM, Kan. – The bitter cold temperatures could be dangerous, if not deadly to pets left outdoors.

Rae Lindsey and the team at the Pet Resource Center of Kansas City have already been busy going through neighborhoods where they see outdoor pets, hanging door hangers and offering assistance. She’s already seen frozen water bowls and frozen paws. View Full Story

Max recovers from his leg amputationFox 4 News

Great Plains SPCA (GPSPCA), a no-kill animal shelter in the Kansas City area serving 4,000 pets annually, has issued an urgent warning to pet owners and animal advocates in the Kansas City metro area about the risk to pets during this life-threatening heat wave. View Full Story

Newsweek An animal rescue shelter has spoken out about the dangers of tethering animals after a dog lost his leg following an attack by other dogs while tethered in a backyard. Max was tied up on Saturday when he was attacked by two dogs. With no way to escape, he dropped onto his back to submit as the animals mauled him.

View Full Story

phot credit- PawsUpKCKSHB – 41 Kansas City

SHAWNEE, Kan. — Everyone has a story. Inside a new store in Shawnee, Kansas, 13-year-old Halley Vincent wants to share seven stories with customers each month.

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15 rescue beagles, part of Virginia animal abuse case, arrive in MerriamFox4 KC

MERRIAM, Kan. — Fifteen beagles arrived in Merriam, Kansas this week, rescues as part of a major animal abuse case out of Virginia.

They’re just a handful of the some 4,000 beagles which were ordered by a federal judge to be taken from an animal research facility in July.

View Full Story

KC Parent

Great Plains SPCA (GPSPCA), a no-kill animal shelter in the Kansas City area serving 4,000 pets annually, has issued an urgent warning to pet owners and animal advocates in the Kansas City metro area about the risk to pets during this life-threatening heat wave. View Full Story

KCTV5 Shelter Piece 05 2022

By Emily Rittman

MERRIAM, Kan. (KCTV) – A growing number of pets are coming into overcrowded shelters in 2022 while the number of adoptions has decreased.

Staff at Great Plains SPCA are making a plea for help from community members to adopt, foster and volunteer to help give animals a break from the shelter.

View Full Story

Scott Poore -The Pitch 2022by  THE PITCH STAFF

This week’s “Creature Feature” is thanks to the help of Scott Poore from Mission Driven.

Meet Brad, a six-year-old retriever mix. Brad is a regular dog who just loves to run, play, and hang out with his best friend.

He doesn’t ask a lot out of life. He’s a “work hard, play hard” kind of guy that needs to exercise his body and mind once in a while. He’s definitely at the top of his class and wants a pal who can champion and appreciate that.

View Full Story

Puppygrams feature on KCTV5JOHNSON COUNTY, KS (KCTV) — Great Plains SPCA is offering their Puppygrams this year to help spread the love on Valentine’s day.

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KCTV5 cold weather02_02_22by Emily Rittman

JOHNSON COUNTY, KS (KCTV) — Volunteers for the Shawnee Snow Squad and Great Plains SPCA HERO Team are braving fridge temperatures to help others in need.

View Full Story

2021 Articles

flatland kc-stressed dogs

by Catherine Hoffman
choffman@flatlandkc.org

Fostering doesn’t have to be a long-term commitment. Fostering for a night, a few nights or even a week can make a huge difference for a pet that is deteriorating in the shelter environment.

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OP Pit Bull Ban Overturnedby FOX4

Overland Park repealed its ban on pit bulls Monday. The outright breed-specific ban has been in place for 15 years.

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Ava Story - ASPCAby ASPCA
Since 2015, the Nancy Silverman Rescue Ride (NSRR) has helped the ASPCA Animal Relocation program save lives and increase adoptions in shelters throughout the United States.

Together, we’ve moved adoptable cats and dogs from areas of overpopulation to shelters and rescue groups in other parts of the country with a high demand for pets. The NSRR focuses on relocating animals from the Southeast to the Northeast where they have a much better chance at adoption.
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Shawnee Mission Post - Johnson County animal shelters expect influx of lost pets on Fourth of July weekend — here’s whyby Jacob Martin

You could already start to hear fireworks in some areas of Johnson County on Thursday evening, ahead of the Fourth of July holiday. And so could your pets.

For humans, Independence Day may be a blast, but local animal shelters urge pet owners to keep their pets in mind when fireworks are going off Sunday (or on Friday and Saturday, too.)
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Fox4 Art for the Animals coverageby Travis Meier
KANSAS CITY, Mo. — Animal and art lovers are coming together to support a good cause in Kansas City’s Midtown area. “Art for the Animals” is showcasing pieces featuring animals of all shapes, sizes and breeds. Held at the Buttonwood Art Space near 30th and Main streets, artists are dealing depictions of dogs, elephants, birds, bugs, cats and more to support Great Plains SPCA.
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by Sofie Misle Animals of all walks of life are featured in the “Art for the Animals” exhibit to benefit Great Plains SPCA. Original artwork of household pets, safari animals, birds, farm animals, insects, reptiles, and more are available for purchase in a variety of mediums. Fifty percent of each art sale compensates the artists and the other half goes to Great Plains SPCA as a charitable contribution. Read Full Article

Lucy and Esmae - Courtesy of Shawnee Mission Postby Roxie Hammill
The kids were at home when animal control and police arrived at Kristi Bond’s Leawood residence two years ago.

The order was direct and to the point. The family would have to remove Lucy, the Bonds’ dog especially beloved by their 10-year-old daughter, from the city. Lucy’s crime: resembling a pit bull, a breed outlawed within Leawood city limits.
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KSHB - Adoption event Tour 21by Kari Williams

KANSAS CITY, Mo. — Great Plains SPCA is one of several animal rescue agencies taking part in a national pet adoption event. From Monday through Sunday, Great Plains SPCA is offering 50% off adoption fees at its Merriam location. The discount does not apply to kittens, puppies or high-profile breeds, according to a news release.
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Transport Breweryby Clarence Dennis
Sunday, Feb. 21, 2 – 5 p.m. Drinking beer with best friends for a good cause? Sign up for Transport Brewery’s four rounds of Best Friend Bingo this Sunday afternoon, 11113 Johnson Drive. The dog friendly event will raise money for Great Plains SPCA and dish out local prizes for each game’s winner.
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KSHB-TEMP PLUNGEby Andres Gutierrez

KANSAS CITY, Mo. — Animal advocates have increased their work in recent days to keep pets safe from the extreme cold the Kansas City metro is experiencing.
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Local animal shelter helping temporarily take in dogs from cold weatherby Sharifa Jackson
MERRIAM, Kan.— It’s another desperate plea for pet owners to bring their animals inside. Animal rescue groups like Great Plains SPCA in Merriam are working overtime to get dogs out of the dangerous and abnormally low temperatures.
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Puppygrams 2021by Chris Oberholtz
MERRIAM, KS (KCTV) — Throughout the month of February, puppy love can be delivered across the Kansas City area. Great Plains SPCA volunteers will deliver puppygrams to recipients to play with, smooch and snuggle for 15-30 minutes. They can be delivered to businesses or residences.
Read Full Article

Older Articles
Heat Related Deaths

There have been recent heat-related deaths of animals in the Kansas City Metro area. Below are links to local news coverage.

Queen's New Roomate

Queen Gets A New Roomate!

Earlier this year, Scott Poore of Mission Driven Goods, made it his mission to find Queen a home. Scott decided to move in with Queen and be her 24/7 advocate until she finally found a home. Word got out via social media and now Queen has not only made the local news, but national & even international news! See all the coverage of Scott’s and Queen’s story below!

Queen was Adopted!!!
Here’s some follow up news coverage:
International News
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