INDEPENDENCE, Mo. — Independence could be moving one step closer to potentially repealing its citywide pit bull ban.

A group supporting the repeal turned in a petition Monday. Volunteers collected more than 5,600 signatures in 30 days. Now city leaders will verify the names. Organizers need over 3,000.

The petition is asking the Independence City Council to either remove the city’s pit bull band or let voters decide on the issue.

Independence Mayor Rory Rowland previously told FOX4 the ban should be left for voters to decide.

Independence has had its ban in place since 2006 after several dog attacks involving pit bulls. Still to this day, the man who was almost killed in that 2006 attack argues the ban must stay.

The city has reviewed the ban several times over the years, including in 2019, but it remains in place.

Kansas City Pet Project says its data shows pit bulls aren’t more prone to biting humans or being violent compared to other dog breeds.

Several other cities in the Kansas City area have already voted to repeal their own pit pull bans, including Overland Park, Wyandotte County, Liberty, Roeland Park and Bonner Springs in the past decade.