Animal Services in Bibb County

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Animal Control in Bibb 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.

Currently, BCRIF Director Landon Gray is the only ACO. He works directly for the county and is not deputized.

Bibb 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. Vance and Woodstock are partly in Tuscaloosa Co., where § 3-1-5 applies.]

Is Dog Confinement Required in Bibb 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 by § 3-1-5 and municipal ordinances prohibiting 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.

Kirk Smith, former pound director, told us “we’ve thought about it [adopting Alabama Code § 3-1-5] a couple times, but [did not due to] the feedback from the residents.” He said that many residents have hunting dogs, and though Kirk said he was aware of the exemption for hunting dogs, he didn’t think residents understood that the requirement would not apply while hunting.

Impoundment Facilities or Shelters in Bibb Co.

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

Bibb County Rabies Impoundment Facility (BCRIF) is operated directly by Bibb County Commission. Landon Gray is currently the only ACO and shelter staff member. Chase covers when Landon is off. Local advocate Tammy Davis voluntarily assists with cleaning and feeding several times a week.

Facility: The facility includes an uninsulated metal building with a cat room and a 40-dog kennel capacity. There are also fenced pens outside. Heat is used only to prevent pipes from freezing in extreme weather. There is no AC; large fans are utilized to circulate air. For a glimpse into the facility, see the 28-minute mark of this video.

Insulation Promised: On June 8, 2026, the Commission voted to allocate funding to insulate the metal building, per local advocates Tammy Davis and Joey Holifield. Heather was working to arrange for insulation of the metal building to make the metal building more comfortable in all seasons and prevent pipes from bursting in the winter. However, as of Oct. 16, 2026, building had not been insulated.

Sterilization: Bibb County does not pay for any vaccines or for sterilization. The adoption agreement does require adopters to have the animal sterilized and report back to the county; however, the county is not following up, we were told.

Budget: Local advocates point out that the 2026 budget of $187,305 includes only $400 for anything directly for the animals (see highlighted line items).

Bibb Co. Animal Census

Source: Excel and web spreadsheet provided by Landon Gray, BCRIF Director, on Oct. 16, 2026. The Dog and Cat data is correct; combined data at the bottom of both documents is not accurate, Landon said.
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.

Local Advocacy Leads to Changes at Pound

Bibb County Emergency Management Agency (EMA) Director Kirk Smith had managed BCRIF for 15 years until Smith’s Mar. 9, 2026 resignation from BCRIF “out of concern for the safety and well-being of his family,” according to a Mar. 10 Facebook post.

Smith turned in his resignation following calls for accountability for the treatment of volunteers and animals at BCRIF. At the Feb. 9, 2026 Bibb County Commission meeting, public comments were made by BCRIF volunteers:

• Tammy Davis
• Blanche Wallace
• Anonymous

Click each name to read their statement, shared here with permission. Frustrations were also aired in a volunteer’s video, “This Bibb County Alabama Animal Control Situation Will Make You Angry” and the CBS42 report “Concerns raised after photos, videos limited at Bibb County Rabies Impoundment Facility.”

New Policies: Some of the concerns stemmed from new BCRIF policies which were distributed starting Feb. 23, 2026:

• BCRIF Volunteer Rules and Guidelines
• BCRIF Standard Rules and Procedures for Approved Rescue Organizations

Threatening or suspending volunteers who speak about conditions at public facilities (which was done when the facility was under Smith’s direction) or prohibiting photography in public areas (as per the new Volunteer Rules) are limitations of free speech, as detailed in Section 1983 to the Rescue (click on the image to view the PDF) by the No Kill Advocacy Center. On Mar. 20, a volunteer said that BCRIF was allowing photographs in outdoor areas when supervised by a staff member.

Upon Smith’s resignation, Bibb County Commission initially sought a nonprofit organization to manage the impoundment facility. County Administrator Brian Davis referred to an RFP but declined to provide it, and to our knowledge no RFP was ever posted to the Bibb County Request for Proposals page. On May 26, 2026, Brian said he continued to supervise operations at the facility and the county was not currently seeking to hire anyone nor to contract with a third party for the operation of the facility.

At the June 8, 2025, Commission meeting, BCRIF was formally moved out of the EMA department to be structured directly under the Bibb County Commission and supervised by County Administrator Brian Davis.

BCRIF showed marked change when Heather Jones joined the staff in May 2026.

• Offsite Adoptions: Animals were brought into the community for offsite adoption opportunities such as at The Market in Centreville. After a history of high reliance on rescues, adoption numbers had by early June already surpassed 2025 figures.
• Community Engagement & Education: In another initiative by Heather, on June 8, 2026, BCRIF launched Project Pound Puppy, a series of one-week summer programs in which volunteers of all ages learn and assist with animal care, dog training, shelter operations, and responsible pet ownership.
• Rescue Networking: For well over a decade, volunteers Blanche Wallace, Rebecca Harshman, and Joey Holifield handled all networking and transportation of dogs to rescue organizations. Volunteer Laurie Nevin coordinates with rescues in the northern US. Heather was creating connections with Alabama rescues to give more animals the opportunity to live out their lives.
• Public Hours were shifted to Tuesdays and Thursdays from 1–5 p.m. to improve access to community members.
• Foster Program was in the beginning stages.
• Owner Surrender requests were placed on a waiting list for counseling appointments soon to be conducted by volunteer Jaysa Stewart.
• Facility Improvements: A fence was added in spring 2026. As of late May, a new motor had been ordered to repair one of the fans, and Heather was working to arrange for insulation of the metal building to make the metal building more comfortable in all seasons and prevent pipes from bursting in the winter.
• Community Support: Bibb County Animal Support (BCAS), an organization launched by local volunteers, was awarded 501(c)(3) status in May 2026. The group’s efforts were introduced at “Things Are Changing: Bibb County Alabama Animal Control Situation Update.” Make a donation on their fundraising page or contact BCAS at bibbcoas@gmail.com.
• Communication: A Facebook page was launched on Feb. 24, 2026, amid pressure on the Commission to improve BCRIF conditions. For the first time, BCRIF began posting animals to improve their chances of reunion with their families, adoption, or rescue; previously, only volunteers took up this responsibility. As of this early June update, Heather is now administering the Facebook page, and her care can clearly be seen in the greatly improved photos and loving words.

After a transformative three months, Bibb Co. ended Heather’s employment at the 90-day mark. Then Brian resigned in June 2026.

Currently, the Bibb Co. Commission is without a permanent county administrator; Kim Holladay is serving in the interim and Commissioners directly operate BCRIF.

Low-Cost Spay & Neuter in Bibb Co.

Alabama Spay & Neuter, the area’s non-profit sterilization clinic, offers low prices and pet transportation from Bibb County approximately once a month — call early to reserve your pet’s spot. Bibb County Pet Welfare (Facebook) offers a Snip-It Ticket to discount the price: text 205-410-1003.

Animal Shelter Veterinarians (ASV), also referred to as GBHS Spay/Neuter & Critical Care Clinic, accepts community cats only (no pets), by appointment only. Call 205-898-7812 or 205-982-6801. The clinic is located at 5220 Princeton Way in Hoover.

For additional low-cost sterilization options, see Low-Cost Spay & Neuter in Alabama and Low-Cost Spay & Neuter in Jefferson County.

Dog Bites & Attacks in Bibb 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:

• Bibb Co. Health Department at 205-926-9702, and
• Law Enforcement: Bibb Co. Sheriff’s Office at 205-926-4683, or your police department.

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

Bibb Co. Documents & Sources

Documents

• Animal Census
• Bibb County Public Records Request Form: We are not aware of a form. Either the county does not have their own request form or does not require its use. We requested according to the Open Records Act template.

Sources

Bibb County Commission, 205-926-3114

• Oct. 20, 2026: Kristin left a voicemail for Landon Gray, BCRIF director, on Oct. 16 requesting Census Reports for 2025 or an email address to which to send a request since the BRCIF Fb still showed Heather's email. Landon replied just a few minutes later and provided his email address, and then provided data on Oct. 19 and also quickly responded to a clarification request on Oct. 20.
• Oct. 16, 2026: Shari did not know the status of the insulation approved for BCRIF and said that she would ask Interim Administrator Kim Holladay to call on Monday.
• Brian Davis, former Bibb County Administrator
  • June 4, 2026: Brian shared information with Kristin Yarbrough on May 26 and June 4, 2026 regarding the leadership of the facility and improvements being made.
  • Sept. 2, 2025: Brian responded the same day to a Sept. 2, 2025, request for impoundment facility data.
  • Apr. 24, 2026: Brian spoke to Aubrie Kavanaugh regarding animal control and the impoundment facility.
• Kirk Smith, Director of Bibb County EMA and former director of Bibb County Rabies Impoundment Facility, bcema@bibbal.com, 205-925-0092, conversed with Kristin Yarbrough via email several times in Sept. 2025 and via telephone on Sept. 12, 2025. Kirk provided Cumulative PDF & monthly data (Excel) in that lacked several of the data fields required by the Animal Census Reporting Act. We requested full reports; he did not provide.
• Kim Holladay, Interim County Administrator and former Deputy Administrator, x2. Kristin spoke with Kim on Apr. 1, 2025, regarding the dog confinement statute.
• Chase, Bibb County Rabies Impoundment Facility. Kristin spoke with Chase on Apr. 1, 2025, regarding the dog confinement statute.

Municipalities

• Brent: Laura, water department, stated on an Oct. 17, 2025 call that Brent has no animal ordinance.
• Centreville: The city’s Animal Control webpage states that AC is handled by Bibb County, and that pets must be confined to the owner's premises or leashed if off-premises, as required by a 2012 animal control ordinance (the ordinance is linked from the Animal Control page, but the PDF is missing as of this Oct. 2025 writing).
• Vance: Shelby Yancey stated on Oct. 17, 2025 that Vance has no animal ordinance..
• West Blocton: Jericha provided information on an Oct. 17, 2025 phone call.
• Woodstock: Tiffney McCulley, town clerk, stated on Oct. 20, 2025 that Woodstock has no animal ordinance.

Other Sources

• Oct. 16, 2026: Kendahl Schnell of Uno’s Home for Wayward Cats and Dogs confirmed that she continues to pull all cats from BCRIF. Previously, impounded cats who were not adopted were killed, and carcasses sold.

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