Animal Services in Winston County

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

Impoundment Facilities or Shelters in Winston County

Charlotte Williams serves as director, CET, kennel tech, transporter — she is the sole operator of Marion/Winston Animal Shelter. The shelter receives funding from Marion and Winston counties. See details about the shelter at Animal Services in Marion County.

• Stray Hold is 7 days.
• Spay/Neuter of adopted animals is challenging, Charlotte said, as the only real option is the Irondale (Birmingham) clinic. She meets the bus/van in Jasper, a 45-mile drive, and returns the next day to pickup animals after surgery.

Animal Control in Winston County

Animal Control in Unincorporated Areas of Winston County: Since Winston County Commission does not fund animal control, there is no ACO serving the unincorporated area if Winston County.

Animal Control Within Corporate Limits & Police Jurisdiction:

• In Double Springs, call Animal Control at 205-495-1186.
• Haleyville established animal control in Nov. 2025, as announced by the Mayor’s Office Facebook page. Nathan Whitman serves as ACO. For assistance, call Haleyville Police.
• Addison, Arley, Lynn, Natural Bridge, Nauvoo: Please contact us if you can provide information.

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

Dog Confinement Requirements in Winston County

County Adoption of Alabama’s Dog Confinement Statute: Dog confinement is not required in unincorporated Winston County because the Winston County Commission has not adopted Alabama Code § 3-1-5, which would require that dogs be confined to the owner’s premises or kept in the charge of a responsible person if off-premises. There are still steps you can take to address issues or to encourage the county to require confinement.

Dog Confinement Requirements Within Corporate Limits & Police Jurisdiction:

• Dog confinement is required by ordinance in Haleyville (2025-03),
• Addison, Arley, Double Springs, Lynn, Natural Bridge, Nauvoo: Please contact us if you can provide information.

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

Low-Cost Spay & Neuter in Winston County

• The Free State Four Paws Spay/Neuter Program helped sterilize 533 dogs and cats in Winston County in 2025 alone. To request assistance, fill out the application on the organization’s website.
• Marion County Humane Society and Win-Mar Humane Society assist with spay/neuter access.
• Pet transportation is available from Jasper (Walker County) for surgeries at Alabama Spay Neuter, the Birmingham-area nonprofit clinic.
• See Low-Cost Spay/Neuter in Alabama for additional resources.

Access to Information & Public Records in Winston County

Commission: I spoke to Angela Wilkins, County Administrator, on Aug. 25, 2025, about requesting the contract or agreement between Winston County and Marion-Winston Animal Shelter and then sent the request per her instructions on the same day. The request was not fulfilled by the Sept. 12 due date, nor was there any communication from the county. On Sept. 19, I spoke with Angela Wilkins and also to Angie regarding the request for document(s) that specify the agreed services and funding, but again did not hear back.

Animal Shelter: Charlotte Williams, director of Marion/Winston Animal Shelter, was glad to share information.

Winston County Documents

• County Commission Public Records Request Form: I did not find a form on the county website. Call the Commission to request or submit according to the Open Records Act template.

Sources

• Angela Wilkins, County Administrator, Winston County Commission: 205-489-5026. On Apr. 29, 2025, Angela stated that Winston County does supply funding to Marion/Winston Animal Shelter (see Marion County and Access), and that the county has no AC.
• Charlotte Williams, director of Marion/Winston Animal Shelter — see details at Animal Services in Marion County.
• Receptionist, Sheriff’s Office: On Mar. 24, 2025, the receptionist said that Winston County does not require dog confinement.

Do You Have a Correction, Addition, or Comment?

Please see the note at the top of this page.