KC neighbors are living in fear after dog attacks man. Why won’t city do more?
On a residential street near North Kansas City, neighbors can be seen walking around armed with badminton rackets, pepper spray, air horns and even Tasers to protect themselves against the seven dogs they say are known to escape a fenced-in yard in the neighborhood.
One of those dogs, a 3-year-old black and brown Cane Corso, allegedly attacked a man last October, just four days before a Kansas City man was mauled to death by a pack of dogs in another dangerous dog case. On Friday, John Thibeaux Sr. and John Thibeaux Jr. were charged with felonies in connection with that other case, involving the mauling death of 46-year-old cyclist Chris Culbertson last November.
The dog believed to be responsible for this nonfatal attack in the Northland, a 3-year-old named Havoc, according to KC Pet Project records, was quarantined for rabies and declared dangerous by the Kansas City Municipal Court. She was later returned to owner Nicholas Kluge under the condition he follows city code.
Since then, Kluge has failed a subsequent inspection and faces two additional citations for his dogs escaping and inciting fear in neighbors. He was recently sentenced to two years of probation for the dog attack, but has upcoming hearings for the dog-at-large citations.
Despite this enforcement, neighbors in the area still say not enough has been done to ensure their safety.
And this string of citations, which neighbors have pushed for in court, is the latest example of a larger issue some Kansas City residents have complained about since Kansas City resident Chris Culbertson was mauled to death. His death ignited public outcry over struggles with filing complaints about dangerous dogs, lack of adequate action by officials and the courts, and the fact that public calls for help in dangerous dog cases frequently go unheeded.
KC Pet Project was widely blamed for lack of action in the deadly attack, which it refutes, saying Kansas City’s municipal code is to blame. In March, it lost the contract to serve as the city’s animal control, but is still poised to run the animal shelter.
The agency says the city’s current dangerous dog ordinance does not give enough enforcement power for it to do its job, and that transferring power back to the city won’t make much of a difference without first making significant changes to the ordinance.
Dog attack
A Northland neighbor, who did not want to be named in this story for fear of retribution, was in the back of her house the morning of Oct. 29 when she heard the sound of the neighbor’s dogs barking and an air horn.
James Hughes, a cancer patient, was walking his dog around 9:30 a.m. past the home at 3718 NE Russell Road, when Havoc allegedly jumped the fence and bit his left calf, according to KC Pet Project records.
The neighbor said she ran outside and saw another neighbor trying to help Hughes. She remembers seeing blood pouring down Hughes’ leg.
“Out of the corner of my eye, I saw a dog running back towards (Kluge’s) driveway,” she said. “I had James come over to my front porch and sit so I could try to treat his wound until we could get an ambulance.”
Witnesses to the attack remember seeing officers blocking off the road, patrol lights flashing and hearing the officers urging the dog owners to come out with loudspeakers. No one did, and officials eventually left, they said.
Hughes and others were in court March 18 for a hearing related to the public nuisance citation, which came as a result of the dog bite incident. Hughes declined to speak to The Star, citing a pending lawsuit related to the incident.
“I don’t think we are disputing at this point that Havoc did get out. We do dispute that she did cause any sort of bite,” said James Brown, Kluge’s lawyer. “She was 7 months old at the time. So just by the nature it is like a puppy doesn’t do that.“
However, KC Pet Project’s documentation cites Havoc’s birthday as Nov. 1, 2021, making her 3 years old at the time of the incident.
Brown said Kluge’s fence was damaged by the city, causing the dogs to escape. City officials, however, don’t have an official claim regarding the fence, which they say isn’t unusual.
Dangerous dog investigation
Seven people, including Hughes, wrote witness statements at the scene regarding the attack.
KC Pet Project quarantined Havoc pending the outcome of a dangerous dog hearing. Upon Havoc’s release, Kluge was given 30 days to comply with the rules for owning a dangerous dog under city code, according to Katie Barnett, general counsel for KC Pet Project.
Because of that declaration, Kluge is bound by city code to keep Havoc in a proper enclosure, like a fence — something Barnett said was explained to Kluge before Havoc was returned.
Last Tuesday, the municipal court placed Kluge on probation for two years for the bite incident. Probation allows for city inspections of Kluge’s animals and his property.
He must also securely contain Havoc and not allow her to run at large. Kluge also must limit himself to four dogs over the age of 120 days, and was given 30 days to do so, according to court documents.
Kluge has received three citations so far this year regarding his dogs, according to court records. In March, two warrants were issued for his arrest after he didn’t show up to two dog-related hearings. He paid the bond and was released. His attorney said Kluge had valid reasons for missing those hearings.
The first citation came on Jan. 1 after he failed an inspection for not properly displaying signs disclosing there was a dangerous dog on the property. Brown, Kluge’s lawyer, said it may have been around the time his fence was being replaced, which is why a sign would not have been up. He also said that Kluge’s sign had been stolen.
Two more citations on March 27 accused Kluge of letting his dogs run at large, putting people in fear, according to court records. Brown disputes that those Cane Corsos were Kluge’s dogs.
In a statement, Barnett said that KC Pet Project cannot apply for a warrant to seize a dog and that dogs-at-large are often secured by the time officers arrive, so it’s important for eyewitnesses to testify about their observations and send in photos and written complaints, so citations can be written up.
Barnett said the city typically cannot remove dangerous dogs and that dogs can be impounded voluntarily by the owner, be taken after a bite, or if there is probable cause for abuse or neglect.
“Unfortunately, while violation or noncompliance of the dangerous dog section reads an animal shall be impounded, this cannot currently be accomplished with a warrant the way the city code is written,” she said.
If a dog is intercepted at large, then KC Pet Project has the power to issue an unfit owner declaration to refuse to give the dog back, but the prosecutor needs enough evidence, she said.
Prior to KC Pet Project taking over the city’s animal control, there were six cases filed against Kluge, according to Barnett, but she did not specify the nature of those cases. According to the city, Kluge received four citations in 2017 for not registering his dogs with the city and for them not wearing dog tags.
KC Pet Project documents from the day of the attack state that Kluge owns seven dogs, including four Cane Corsos and three other dogs. Barnett said animal officers are officially only aware of the two found roaming on March 27, and that the property has a front fence padlocked to prevent anyone from getting to the front door.
Brown, the attorney, said Kluge has six dogs, all Cane Corsos. Two are 8-year-old adult dogs and four are 14-month-old juveniles, he said. But according to a Google Maps street view image dated from October 2024, at least three large dogs can be seen.
City code does not allow more than four dogs over the age of 120 days.
Brown also said Havoc was recently found on Kluge’s property shot, though not fatally. Police say they responded around 8 p.m. March 18 and that the investigation is ongoing.
For his Northland neighbors, the hope is that these citations will lead to action to better secure the dogs, so they will once again be able to safely walk on the street and allow their children to play outside.
“I want something done about this. I feel like somebody’s got to be responsible to make them be responsible pet owners,” the neighbor said. “ I … am not willing to let this just pass until the dogs actually kill somebody or bite somebody again. It’s just not right.”
This story was originally published April 23, 2025 at 6:00 AM.
