KC animal advocates, friends remember transport driver killed in crash
By EMILY RITTMAN
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KANSAS CITY, Missouri (KCTV) — Animal advocates are remembering a devoted animal rescue volunteer who was killed in a crash while transporting a dog.
David Hosch died following a crash around 8 a.m. Monday near U.S. 56 Highway and E2400 RD along the Douglas and Johnson County, Kansas line.
Members of the Kansas City English Bulldog Rescue group say Hosch was a beloved friend, foster parent and transport driver.
Shannon Smith and her husband adopted their English bulldog, Nola, back in 2016. She’s been spoiled with her own couch and fan ever since.
Through Smith’s work as Director of “Barketing” (Marketing) with the Kansas City English Bulldog Rescue, she met Hosch — a fellow rescuer turned friend. “Every dog that he brought to Kansas City English Bulldog Rescue remained one of his dogs,” Smith said. “He called them his Sunflower Gang and he kept tabs on them.”
She says Hosch would drop everything to drive through freezing temps and slick roads to save a dog. He made a trek to South Dakota during treacherous driving conditions to rescue a dog in need a of medical care.
Hosch saved 19 dogs through the Kansas City English Bulldog Rescue.
“He was absolutely a genuine, warm hearted, giving, unselfish person,” Smith said. “You know when you meet somebody and you walk away from meeting them and you go, ‘That is a really good person.’ That was David.”
Hosch not only saved dogs. He also brought the joy of dogs to the families who adopted them, including a dog named Penny. He brought Penny into Rescue then drove her to her new family in Phoenix.
“When we told this family what happened yesterday, they were so heartsick,” Smith said. “They were so thankful that David brought them their Penny. That is his legacy. His gift is that he changed the world for so many dogs and so many humans.”
David’s dedication will continue to save dogs. Three dogs he brought into Rescue are currently in foster homes waiting to find their permanent new homes.
“He encouraged people to adopt not shop. He was ready to advocate to shutdown puppy mills because he saw the results of puppy mills,” Smith said. “He was fiercely independent with a heart of gold.”
The other driver involved in Monday’s crash, 66-year-old Reinold Hartmann, was taken by Life Flight to an area hospital with serious but non-life-threatening injuries.
The Douglas County Sheriff’s Office Accident Investigation Team is investigating the cause of the crash.
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