Published May 19, 2025
Photo by Alba Gutierrez-Ortiz
Students at Dodge City Community College transformed a classroom project into real-world impact by drafting and passing a city ordinance requiring pet microchipping. The initiative, developed through the college’s Service Learning course, aims to reduce stray animal populations and improve pet-owner accountability. Through research, collaboration, and civic engagement, students demonstrated how academic work can drive meaningful change in the community.
Pictured in the front row (left to right) is Ada Mishkind, freshman, Littleton, Colo.; Anyssa Macias-Adame, freshman, Dodge City; Amery Macias-Adame, freshman, Dodge City; Barbara “Percy” Ryder, freshman, Dodge City; and Shawil Clark, freshman, Wilmington, Del. Pictured in the back row, (left to right) is Nathan Gunderson, freshman, Olathe, Kan.; Jose Figueroa, freshman, Santiago, Chile; Calvin Warrillow, freshman, Toronto, Canada; Nia Anderson, freshman, Forest Park, Ga.; and Koch-Deng Koch, freshman, Banksia Grove, Australia.
Students from Dodge City Community College (DC3) have turned a semester-long classroom initiative into citywide policy. On May 5, the Dodge City Commission voted 5-0 to approve a student-drafted ordinance requiring all cats and dogs within city limits to be microchipped as part of the registration process.
The new ordinance is intended to reduce the number of stray animals in Dodge City and improve efforts to reunite lost pets with their owners. It represents the latest success from the college’s Service Learning program, which blends academic instruction with real-world community engagement.
Jay Gooldy, Assistant Professor of English, said, “These students spent the semester diving deep into research, drafting legal language, consulting with city officials, and building a coalition of support. They didn’t just learn about civic engagement—they lived it. We wrote the actual ordinance that will now improve the lives of animals and pet owners across our community.”
Microchipping provides a permanent, non-invasive form of pet identification. The chip, about the size of a grain of rice, is implanted just under the skin between the shoulder blades.
The chip is not a GPS tracker, but rather stores a unique ID number that connects to the pet owner’s contact information. Animal control officers and veterinarians can scan the chip to help return lost animals to their homes.
The ordinance is expected to ease the burden on local shelters and streamline the process of identifying and recovering lost pets.
The initiative was developed by students in the college’s Service Learning English Composition I course, which challenges students to identify community needs and develop practical solutions through research, outreach and collaboration.
Over the semester, students studied animal control practices, drafted ordinance language, and presented their proposal to the city commission for formal consideration.
This pet-focused initiative is not the students’ first successful service-learning project. The program began by addressing a critical issue on campus: food insecurity. In response, students created Conq Care Cabinets, which serve as free, accessible food pantries for students.
Today, there are four cabinets across campus—in the Library, the Student Union, near the Student Achievement and Resource Center (SARC), and on the second floor of the Humanities building.
Stocked with shelf-stable food and hygiene products, the cabinets are available to all students and maintained through ongoing donations and student coordination.
Building on that foundation, students expanded their community impact this semester by partnering with SWKS K9 Pawsibilities, a local nonprofit organization dedicated to rescuing and rehoming animals in southwestern Kansas.
Together, the students and the organization have co-hosted two successful adoption events, creatively branded as “Pawties.” These events provided opportunities for local residents to meet adoptable pets, learn about animal care, and complete on-site adoptions.
Amery Macias-Adame, a freshman from Dodge City, said, “The ordinance is really important. I’ve lived in Dodge City my whole life, and I’ve seen firsthand the animal cruelty that’s unfortunately a big issue when it comes to pet ownership here. That was a major reason why this project mattered to me. These animals don’t deserve to go through that—they deserve safe, loving homes.”
The collaboration provided students with direct experience in event planning, nonprofit coordination, and animal welfare outreach—all while strengthening local efforts to reduce the number of unclaimed or abandoned pets.
The pet microchipping ordinance reflects the full scope of the service learning experience, combining research, civic advocacy, nonprofit collaboration and practical action. It also reinforces the idea that meaningful change can start at any level—with anyone willing to put in the work.
Nathan Gunderson, a freshman from Olathe, Kan., said, “This was probably my favorite project because it connected directly to what we were learning in class—things like microchipping, adopting ordinances, and understanding how proposals move through city council. It was amazing to see firsthand how those processes play a role in society and the impact they can have. It was really cool to see the role we were able to play in local government.”
In addition, Gunderson said there is a “serious overcrowding issue” in animal shelters across Kansas.
“A lot of people, when they no longer want to care for their pets, just release them into the wild,” he said. “That leads to all kinds of problems—disease, lack of vaccinations, and legal issues with stray animals. The ordinance we helped pass is going to make a real difference. It will ensure animals get their shots and are properly cared for. It also holds pet owners accountable. If a dog bites someone, we’ll be able to tell if it had a rabies shot and identify the owner. This ordinance will help clean up the community and improve public safety.”
This project stands as a clear example of how student-led initiatives can produce lasting, positive change in the community. Through their work, students not only addressed a public policy issue but also strengthened ties between local government, educational institutions and nonprofit partners.
Gooldy said, “They [the students] showed that college students can shape policy and change lives with persistence, teamwork, and purpose.”
For details on the new ordinance or pet registration rules, residents can contact Dodge City Animal Control at (620) 225-1567 or stop by the office at 104 N. 14th Ave. To learn more about DC3’s English Composition I Service Learning course, contact Jay Gooldy at jgooldy@dc3.edu or (620) 227-9231.
By Alba Gutierrez-OrtizDC3 Marketing and Media Specialist