About This Site

On Feb. 5, 2024, one voice was silenced, and another learned to speak. A neighbor’s beloved dog was killed, and I found my voice for Alabama’s animals.

It was just a dog, the officer made crystal clear. It didn’t get any easier from there.

When I struggled to understand or navigate our path in the aftermath of the killing, advocates guided me through the state’s tangled web of animal control, cruelty law, enforcement challenges, and the criminal justice system. This website was born from my desire to document and to share this information, to make visible what has long gone unseen.

Our studies on companion animal infrastructure and dog confinement laws across the state, alongside detailed documentation of services and circumstances in each county and city serve as constant references. Zoom in to the pages dedicated to each of Alabama’s 67 counties to glimpse the landscape, find out how to report a concern or violation, locate affordable sterilization and other resources, or hold commissioners or councilmembers accountable for protecting the safety and quality of life of people and animals alike.

While it is those county pages that we refer to and update multiple times daily, the site offers an abundance of other research and guidance. The top left menu barely scratches the surface; see Site Contents for a comprehensive listing. We also utilize Facebook for advocacy and to exchange information. Feel free to message or ‘friend.’

The depth of the information offered here would not be possible without the brilliant and compassionate advocates who reached out their hand from the beginning, combining experience in animal control, shelter management, legislation, cruelty investigation, and the simple choice to raise one’s voice for the voiceless.

We speak to officials and residents across the state on a daily basis, both as part of our research and to offer information or guidance. Our work is completely independent and pro bono.

We would be glad to hear from you. We reply to all messages, so please check your spam folder.

Kristin Yarbrough
Blount County, Alabama

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Please be aware that the authors of this site are volunteers who are not attorneys; we cannot provide legal advice. Information about laws and government functions is based on the understanding of non-attorneys. If you have questions about laws or a legal issue, please consult with an attorney.

Copyright

You are welcome and encouraged to link to any page of this website. We also provide sharing graphics for use on Facebook and other websites. Since information is continually updated, we ask that you link to the source page rather than copying text, or at least be sure to include a link back to the source. Thanks.