Animal Services in Colbert County

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Impoundment Facilities or Shelters in Colbert County

Colbert County Animal Shelter is operated by Colbert Animal Services, a nonprofit formed by Colbert County and the cities of Muscle Shoals, Sheffield, and Tuscumbia. The nonprofit employs twelve staff members who serve in animal control and the shelter.

• Stray Hold is 7 days.
• Spay/Neuter is done on most but not all animals prior to release to the adopter. Shelter Director Charles Corey Speegle received a grant from a county commissioner to help and aspires to do this in the future. The adoption contract says spay/neuter is required.
• Animal Census Reports are presented by Mr. Speegle at the monthly meeting of the nonprofit board. Requests can be submitted to him or his board.

Animal Control in Colbert County

Our understanding is that Animal Services Director Charles Corey Speegle and two ACOs of Colbert County Animal Control handle impoundment and animal law enforcement for all of Colbert County, including the unincorporated areas and the municipalities of Cherokee, Leighton, Littleville, Muscle Shoals, Sheffield, and Tuscumbia. For assistance with animal concerns, call 256-381-4073.

Because ACOs in Colbert County are not deputized (e.g., they do not have powers of arrest, citation, or to procure a search warrant), enforcement of animal law must be led by the Colbert County Sheriff’s Office, which can be reached at 256-383-0741.

Dog Confinement Requirements in Colbert County

County Adoption of Alabama’s Dog Confinement Statute: Colbert County officials stated that they enforce Alabama Code § 3-1-5 and believed it to be applicable, but had no record of statute adoption and expressed misconceptions over statute applicability, as detailed below. Alabama Code § 3-1-5 requires that dogs be confined to the owner’s premises or kept in the charge of a responsible person if off-premises.

Our Recommendation for those in the unincorporated area or in a municipality with unclear statutory authority is to proceed as if the statute or an ordinance is applicable, by keeping their own dogs confined or in their charge and by reporting owners who allow their dog to run loose, for the safety of people and animals alike.

Dog Confinement Requirements Within Corporate Limits & Police Jurisdiction:

• Dog confinement is required by ordinance in Cherokee (§ 6-90–91), Muscle Shoals (§ 14-7, § 14-81), Sheffield (§ 10-61, § 10-107).
• Leighton, Littleville, Tuscumbia: Please contact us if you can provide information.

How to Report: See How to Report an At-Large Violation.

Low-Cost Spay & Neuter in Colbert County

• Shoals PAWS (Fb) offers spay/neuter and TNR assistance to pet owners and community cat caretakers in Colbert, Franklin, and Lauderdale counties. PAWS also operates foster programs and offers puppies, dogs, kittens, and cats for adoption.
• Northwest Alabama Spay and Neuter Assistance (NASANA) (Fb) offers financial assistance for pet sterilization to residents of Colbert, Franklin, and Lauderdale counties who receive either food stamps or Medicaid. Fill out the application on their website.
• See Low-Cost Spay/Neuter in Alabama for additional resources.

Access to Information & Public Records in Colbert County

Colbert County has no accessible record of adoption of Alabama Code § 3-1-5, according to Roger Creekmore, county administrator, on a Apr. 1, 2025 call. Roger believed that the county had adopted; however, locating any record of adoption, if even possible, would take several full days of searching, he said. Roger guessed that the law was adopted in the 1940s, stating that Colbert County has historically been an early actor. Colbert County would be wise to now adopt (or re-adopt) the statute.

In a 25-minute conversation, Roger also spoke about state animal laws and local enforcement. In Colbert County, AC is handled by the nonprofit Colbert Animal Services, which includes two non-deputized officers (that is, civilians who are not APOSTC-certified) who investigate and then bring the case to the SO if a cruelty violation is suspected. This arrangement has been challenged via lawsuits specifically against Colbert Animal Services. Arguments in a recent severe cruelty case (see WHNT, FOX54) claimed that an ACO was improperly granted a search warrant. Roger spoke of Colbert and Mobile Counties asking the Association of County Commissions of Alabama about working toward local control of AC policies, but it sounded like no progress was made. He also said Colbert County struggles with residents of the municipalities dumping animals in the unincorporated area of the county.

Regarding 3-1-5, Roger said the SO tells him they cannot enforce, and that enforcement is not feasible financially because the $2–50 fee does not cover costs (and court cost is retained by the court, he said). Even when citizens press charges, which Roger said most do not due to the unavailability of anonymity, the DA is reluctant to allow a summons or warrant because “they don’t want to deal with something that small” and may do so only if the resident is persistent. Roger stated that the fine should be “at least $250.”

Roger said the state animal laws “beg for revision.” When asked what he would change, he began with “Where do I start?,” then stating that the “vicious animal laws do not go far enough,” that the laws “do not go far enough about stray animals,” nor about “animal neglect and animal cruelty.” The statutes are on the books, he said, but enforcement is impeded by the lack of authority for non-deputized officers to enforce, because SOs have their hands full. Penalties must also increase, Roger said. He also spoke about the challenge of passing any animal law in Alabama because “ALFA opposes anything.” He asked that we stay in touch, especially if an amendment to the at-large statute is considered.

Roger also spoke of two maulings by seven owned dogs in Franklin County. The second victim was a 17-year employee of the Alabama Department of Public Health who had traveled to the location to address the first attack and would not have known that the dogs were still loose, since the dogs should have been confined or seized. She was not allowed to be armed on the job, Roger said. The dog owner was arrested and indicted on two counts of manslaughter and a violation of Emily’s Law, and the estate of the Public Health worker filed a civil suit against the dog owner, the property owner, the County, Animal Control, the SO, and other individuals and agencies, which points to the public safety liability of governments and officials. After three years of delays related to the defendant’s health, the dog owner was found guilty in Nov. 2025 of manslaughter, criminally negligent homicide, and two violations of Emily’s Law. The status of the civil suit is unclear.

Colbert County Documents

• Colbert County Commission Public Records Request Form: The county website does not appear to provide a form. Call the Commission to request or submit according to the Open Records Act template.
• Colbert Animal Services Census: See above.

Sources

• Charles Corey Speegle, Animal Services Director: 256-263-7291, colbertanimalservices@gmail.com. Information provided via phone call with Aubrie Kavanaugh on May 1, 2025.
• Roger Creekmore, County Administrator: 256-386-8501. Aubrie Kavanaugh spoke with Roger Creekmore on May 1, 2025 about the animal shelter and animal control. Kristin Yarbrough spoke with Roger about Alabama Code § 3-1-5 and animal law enforcement on Apr. 1, 2025.
• Leighton City Clerk: 256-446-8477. There was no answer at the Leighton Town Hall in several attempts on Dec. 29–30, 2025.
• Kimberley Cole, City of Tuscumbia City Clerk: 256-383-5463. On a Dec. 29, 2025 call to ask about animal control, Kimberley referred Kristin to Luster Echols in the building code department (256-386-5654), stating that Luster was also involved with animal control; there was no answer; email sent to Donna, dbuszka@cityoftuscumbia.org, to ask about impoundment, enforcement, and ordinances.
• Town of Littleville: I found no phone number or email for this very small municipality.

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