Animal Services in Shelby County

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Impoundment Facilities or Shelters in Shelby County

Shelby Humane is the intake facility for Shelby County, per Executive Director Saundra Ivey. A 501c3 holding county and municipal contracts, Shelby Humane receives $360,000 per year from Shelby County and $25,000 from the City of Hoover, with the remainder of the 2026 proposed budget of $2,242,356 being raised through donations and grants, according to the shelter website’s Mission page.

• Stray Hold is 7 days, after which animal ownership is transferred to the nonprofit.
• Spay/Neuter is done by several contracted vets including the Irondale nonprofit clinic. Ownership is transferred to the adopter only after the pet is sterilized.
• Animal Census Reports are shared on the shelter website.

Animal Control in Shelby County

Animal Control in Unincorporated Areas of Shelby County: Shelby County Commission operates Shelby County Animal Control, whose two ACOs serve the unincorporated area of the county, per ACO Samantha Kusiak.

While Shelby County ACOs may investigate animal cruelty and serve as witness in cruelty cases, criminal charging is the responsibility of the Shelby County Sheriff’s Office. Although ACOs elsewhere in the state can utilize the Complaints protocol, Shelby County is the only county or municipality of which we are aware that bars its ACOs from bringing evidence directly to the courts. Complaints are still open to residents and are important in situations where LEOs cannot or will not charge.

• For assistance involving a dog, cat, or ferret, call 205-669-8766.
• For assistance related to livestock, contact the Shelby County Sheriff’s Office at 205-670-6000.

Animal Control Within Corporate Limits & Police Jurisdiction:

• Alabaster’s two ACOs are Alabaster Police Department officers. Call 205-664-6761.
• The Calera Police Department and Public Works / Streets Department are responsible for animal law enforcement and loose dogs in Calera. Call the Police Department at 205-668-3505 or call Street Department Supervisor Shane Murphy at 205-668-3869.
• Columbiana is served by Shelby County Animal Control. See contact info above.
• Hoover’s two ACOs work directly for the city. Call Hoover Animal Control at 205-444-7760.
• Montevallo structures animal control as part of the Public Works department. Contact Director Kirk Hamby at 205-337-9222. Also see Montevallo Animal Control at the city website.
• Pelham has one ACO who works in the Street Department. For assistance, call 205-620-6416. Impounded dogs and cats are held at Oak View Animal Hospital.
• For Birmingham, see Jefferson County. For Leeds, see St. Clair County. In other municipalities, call your city hall, town hall, or the police department.

If your ACO is unable to help or if your area has no animal services, see this guidance.

Dog Confinement Requirements in Shelby County

County Adoption of Alabama’s Dog Confinement Statute: Dog confinement is required in Shelby County because the Shelby County Commission adopted Alabama Code § 3-1-5, which requires that dogs be confined to the owner’s premises or kept in the charge of a responsible person if off-premises. Shelby County adopted Alabama Code § 3-1-5 in 1990 via Resolution 90-8-27-15.

In response to a report of a violation, the County mails a letter (which inaccurately refers to leashing) to the possible dog owner; complainants may then press charges. Procedure is stated in the AC policy. Shelby County does not impound loose dogs unless the dog is not wearing a current rabies tag — this is per the recommendation of the county attorney (see the AC policy) and is stated at Regulations & Controls.

Dog Confinement Requirements Within Corporate Limits & Police Jurisdiction:

• Dog confinement is required by ordinance in Alabaster (§ 6-28), Birmingham (§ 6-1-14), Calera (§ 3-23), Hoover (§ 4-21), Leeds (§ 8-53), Montevallo (§ 4-25 through 28), Pelham (§ 3-6).
• Dog confinement is required by statute in Columbiana and in the Shelby County portion of Vestavia Hills. Running at large is prohibited by ordinance only on streets and other public areas of Vestavia Hills (§ 4-19; § 4-20 would presumably be interpreted to follow the definition of running at large established in 4-19).
• Dog confinement requirements unknown (ordinances are not published online): Chelsea, Harpersville, Helena, Indian Springs Village, Vincent, Westover, Wilsonville, Wilton. (It is likely that confinement is required in these municipalities, whether by statute and/or ordinance.)

How to Report: See How to Report a Dogs Running At Large Violation.

Animal Bites

When a person is bit by an animal, the bite should be reported to the Shelby County Health Department (the local office of Alabama Department of Public Health) at 205-664-2470. Attend to medical needs first, then report the bite the same day or next business day. For more information, see Animal Bites at the Shelby County website.

Low-Cost Spay & Neuter in Shelby County

• Fix-A-Bull offers $20 spay/neuter for pit bulls and pit mixes owned by county residents. Contact Shelby Humane.
• Cahaba Spay & Neuter in Pelham offers low prices to all and also accepts the Alabama Adoption Society and Friends of Cats & Dogs Foundation certificates which can lower the price further.
• Shelby Humane’s Shelby Spay/Neuter program offers $25 pet sterilization to county residents with a household member on a qualifying assistance program. Call or text Peggy Cropp at 205-243-9946.
• Alabama Spay Neuter, a non-profit clinic specializing in sterilization, offers pet transportation from Shelby County (Heardmont Park).
• See Low-Cost Spay/Neuter in Alabama and Jefferson County for additional options.

Cat TNR & Fostering: Animal Shelter Veterinarians (ASV), also referred to as GBHS Spay/Neuter & Critical Care Clinic, provides free sterilization of community cats by appointment. Call 205-898-7812 or 205-982-6801. The clinic is located at 5220 Princeton Way in Hoover. The 501c3 nonprofit Country Cattery assists with TNR (trap, neuter, return), vet care, foster programs, and adoption of feral and friendly community cats in Jefferson, Chilton, Shelby, and St. Clair counties. TNR ensures the health and stability of the colony by trapping the cats so they can be sterilized, ear-tipped (for identification), vaccinated, and have any health needs attended to prior to returning to their home. If you have noticed a cat colony in your area, contact the Country Cattery via email or through Facebook right away.

Assistance with Vet Bills: The Sugarbelle Foundation (Fb) helps financially-struggling families with vet care, temporary fostering, training, pet food, and supplies in accordance with their mission to keep people and pets together.

Access to Information & Public Records in Shelby County

Commission: I submitted records requests on Jan. 31 and Feb. 6, 2025 via the County’s webform. Both times, Office Administrator Stefanie Knight replied with the requested document within a single day.

Animal Shelter and Animal Control: Saundra Ivey, director of Shelby Humane, was glad to share information in April 2025. County ACO Samantha Kusiak posts about animal control on her Facebook account and responds to questions from the public.

Shelby County Documents

• Shelby Humane Census Data is shared on the shelter website.
• County Commission Public Records Request Form is posted on the County website.
• Other Animal Control docs: AC policy, Resolution 90-8-27-15 to adopt Alabama Code § 3-1-5

Sources

• Saundra Ivey, executive director of Shelby County Humane Society, 205-669-3916 x2016, provided information to Kristin Yarbrough on Apr. 29, 2025. In addition to the information above, Saundra also spoke of needing a new building and asked about shelter design; we provided information prepared by Aubrey Kavanaugh.
• Samantha Kusiak, Shelby County ACO, conversed with Kristin Yarbrough via Facebook on Dec. 16, 2025.
• City of Columbiana: An officer at the police department shared AC information with Kristin Yarbrough on Dec. 17, 2025.
• Rachel Cochran, VP of the Country Cattery, messaged with Kristin Yarbrough on Apr. 22, 2026.

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