It has been a long time coming, but Raymore may soon be home to a new dog park and an improved animal shelter.

For more than a decade, Raymore city leaders have discussed building an off-leash dog park for local canine owners. Discussions go back to at least 2009. However, there is still no dog park in the city.

The wait may be over.

On Monday, May 16, the city council held a joint work session with the Parks and Recreation Board to finally move forward with a dog park. Plans are preliminary as of press time, but funding for Raymore’s first dog park will be made available in the next fiscal year on Nov. 1, putting the project in the books for next year.

The proposed site of the dog park will be in the area of Madison and Gore. According to Parks and Recreation Director Nathan Musteen, preliminary plans call for a 10.5-acre dog park, which is significantly larger than nearby dog parks in Belton, Grandview and Lee’s Summit.

That additional space can possibly make room for a variety of amenities, including benches, drinking fountains and dog washing stations. Sufficient parking is also part of the plan. A large swath of land will also allow the city to split the park into sections, one area for large dogs and another area for smaller dogs, much like the setup at the Grandview dog park.

Dog park hours will likely be from dusk to dawn, with lighting available only for the parking area. Although funding will be made available on Nov. 1, no other details are available. A timeline will be determined at a later date as the city still has to determine road access, undergo the bidding process, etc.

This may be Raymore’s first dog park, not its only dog park. City Manager Jim Feuerborn suggested that Raymore may be home to multiple dog parks in the future, citing the city’s rapid growth.

Future of Raymore Animal Shelter

During the same work session, the Raymore city council also discussed the future of the Raymore Animal Shelter, which appears poised for major improvements.

However, what those improvements will entail is not clear.

Currently, the shack adjacent to Recreation Park is home to the Raymore Animal Shelter. That small space houses everything required for the animal shelter, including the two humans running the show, Animal Control Officers Jamie Hasenyager and Bailey Romi.

As of press time, Raymore has 33 animals in its care, which includes foster care and other stages of adoption. However, only two dogs and three cats are actually staying in the shelter.

Although few animals are living in the shelter, more space is needed for other operations such as animal socialization and washing areas.

There are no definite plans so far, but city leaders are discussing allocating space at the upcoming criminal justice center coming to Raymore. Essentially, the city wants more space for the shelter. What that will include is still being worked on.

In the meantime, the Raymore Animal Shelter has set up an Amazon wish list to address its needs with a severely limited budget. Residents can purchase items from that list for the shelter by clicking here.