Animal Services in Cleburne County

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We welcome your updates, additions, corrections, or comments: please email us. Information can be credited to you or kept anonymous, as you prefer.

Animal Control in Cleburne Co.

Alabama requires local governments to pick up and impound loose dogs. Animal Control Officers (ACOs) also respond to reports related to dogs and cats.

Although ACOs may investigate cruelty or address municipal code violations, most Alabama ACOs are civilians who do not have law enforcement authority. The sheriff’s office and local PDs are responsible for the enforcement of cruelty laws.

Cleburne Co. Animal Services At-a-Glance

Report animal concerns according to the location, as noted below. For more information about animal control and enforcement of animal laws, or if your concern is not being addressed, see this guidance.

[County population figure includes municipalities.]

Is Dog Confinement Required in Cleburne Co.?

The applicable law is indicated in the right column of the table above. See Dog Confinement Laws for details.

• Tags required everywhere. All dogs in Alabama must wear a current rabies tag, per § 3-7A.
• Dog confinement is required when § 3-1-5 and/or a municipal ordinance prohibits running-at-large (RAL).

How to get help:

• Report a loose dog or a RAL violation by following the reporting instructions provided in the table above.
• If you choose to assist a lost, stray, or abandoned pet, be aware of your rights and responsibilities.
• If your pet is lost, see these tips.
• Ask your Commission or Council to require dog confinement.

Shelter Opening Soon!

If your pet is lost, remember to check not only the local shelter or impoundment facility, but also those in neighboring cities and counties.

Cleburne County Animal Shelter, a nonprofit organization, formed in 2022 to collaborate with Cleburne County and the City of Heflin toward the construction of an animal shelter. Melissa Christopher serves as board president of the nonprofit organization, with support from Caron Duckworth, Carol Wright, and many other volunteers. Once open, the nonprofit organization will lease the site and operate the shelter independently, with funding from the city and county.

Site & Funding: The shelter will be located on a 26-acre parcel owned by the City of Heflin, Bill Wilson reported in the Anniston Star. (A site near the jail was also considered, and was rejected due to concerns about noise.) Cleburne County Commission contributed $200,000 toward the project, with additional funding from grants and donations.

Design: Aspects of the shelter design were modeled after a shelter in Polk County, Georgia. Commissioner Emmett Owen was particularly impressed by underfloor heating, which he and Heflin Mayor Robby Brown decided to replicate in the door kennels. The heated concrete slab floor will help the concrete dry faster and reduce odors, per Owen.

Livestock, Too: In addition to indoor housing for cats and dogs, the shelter will include a fenced outdoor space for larger animals including horses, goats, and pigs.

Construction Progress: The main building, which includes cat housing and staff offices, was completed in January 2026, per Owen, and the shelter was expected to open within 3-4 months. Volunteer training events were held in May and June. As of late July, the facility had hot water, a shelter representative told us. In the rear part of the main building, kennels constructed of metal fencing and concrete block were mostly in place, with doors arriving soon. “We are still waiting for the city to complete the septic and fencing,” the representative added.

As volunteers and residents looked forward to opening day, the representative kept a positive outlook. “We are just grateful for any investment our community is putting in this project so that we can provide the services that are needed,” she said. “I just keep reminding myself that Randolph County had to wait 10 years from the start until they opened.”

Although Alabama law has required an impoundment facility since at least 1935, this will be Cleburne County’s first animal shelter. Many counties and cities across the states have yet to begin meeting the state’s requirement.

Cleburne Co. Animal Shelter Census

Data will be filled in when we receive it.

Live Release Rate (LRR) = Live Outcomes ÷ Total Outcomes.

A substantial difference between Intake and Outcome totals suggests flawed or missing data and is indicated in Missing Outcomes, Adj. Total Outcomes, and in the LRR — pending accounting from the shelter.

Low-Cost Spay & Neuter in Cleburne Co.

• Pinhoti Animal Rescue hosts discounted spay/neuter events, including pet transportation (example), for Cleburne County residents. Watch for upcoming opportunities at Events or on the Facebook pages of Pinhoti Animal Rescue and Cleburne County Animal Shelter.
• Pet transportation is available from Clay County to Alabama Spay Neuter in Irondale. Financial assistance is also available.
• See Low-Cost Spay & Neuter in Alabama and Low-Cost Spay & Neuter in Calhoun County for additional resources.

Dog Bites & Attacks in Cleburne Co.

To have knowledge of a bite or scratch and fail to report it is a crime (§ 3-7A-9). First seek medical attention; then report as soon as possible to:

• Cleburne Co. Health Department at 256-463-2296 (if closed, contact Clay County at 256-396-6421, and
• Law Enforcement: Cleburne County Sheriff’s Office at256-463-2277, or your police department.

See Dog Bites & Attacks for more information on reporting, quarantine, criminal charging, and legal implications.

Documents & Sources

Documents:

• Cleburne County Commission Public Records Request Form — If your request is denied on the basis of the in-person requirement stated on the form, see this information.

Sources:

• July 27, 2026: Cleburne County Animal Shelter replied to our Messenger inquiry on Mar. 29, 2026, with a request that we provide an email address, however we did not receive an email from the shelter. We inquired again on July 27, and a representative offered a friendly update on the status of the shelter.
• May 1, 2025: Lisa Copeland, Cleburne County Administrator, 256-463-3827 spoke to Aubrie Kavanaugh on May 1, 2025 regarding the shelter and animal control, and to Kristin Yarbrough on Mar. 28, 2025 regarding Alabama Code § 3-1-5.

Do You Have a Correction, Addition, or Comment?

Please see the note at the top of this page.