Animal Services in Blount County

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Impoundment Facilities or Shelters in Blount County

The Animal Adoption Center of Blount County (AAC), established in 2005, is operated directly by Blount County Commission and is the impoundment facility for all of Blount County, with Karen Startley at the helm since approximately 2014.

The AAC welcomes the community to visit the animals. Turn from Highway 1 into the AAC driveway, then use the callbox at the gate to request entry. Appointments are required only for those who wish to surrender a pet.

The facility has 52 indoor dog kennels, a puppy room, cat room, covered outdoor puppy kennels, and additional uncovered outdoor kennels to which adult dogs are brought while the indoor kennels are cleaned. As of late 2024, AAC staff included five full time employees and four part-timers working weekends and holidays.

Additional details from Karen:

• Stray Hold is 7 days for adult animals. Impounded pets are posted on Facebook.
• Spay/Neuter is performed on all 6 month and older animals prior to adoption, while adopters of younger animals receive a sterilization voucher to utilize when the puppy or kitten reaches the required age or weight, per a June 2026 Facebook comment.
• Foster Program welcomes Blount County residents to care for pregnant or nursing mamas, bottle babies, animals awaiting transport to rescue, or animals who need extra care while recovering from medical treatment.
• Volunteers are also welcome at the AAC to socialize animals, greet visitors, write pet descriptions, or help in other capacities. Adults 55 and older are encouraged to volunteer through the Retired and Senior Volunteer Program (RSVP), a free resource offered by Positive Maturity’s Americorps Senior Corps.
• Animal Census Reports are prepared monthly and can be requested from kstartley@blountcountyal.gov. Data is not posted by the AAC or by the county. I request from Karen each month and post some data at Blount County Shelter Data and post all of the AAC’s scans at the end of each year.

The AAC welcomes donations. Contributions to counties (including the shelter) and municipalities may be tax deductible under IRS Code 170(c)(1). To make a general contribution, please specify “special projects” to ensure that your donation goes to the shelter rather than other county expenses.

• To donate funds via credit card, check, or cash, call or visit the shelter. You will be provided a donation receipt.
• Dog food, kitten food, newspaper, and dog houses are always needed.
• Food, toys, supplies can be selected from the shelter’s Amazon wishlist or this second wishlist.
• Trolley or run lines help neighbors keep their dog on their own property. These donations can be the difference between a dog staying with his family or being surrendered due to challenges with roaming or inability to erect a fence.
• Help animals find homes by sponsoring or donate toward an animal’s adoption fee.
• Include the shelter in your trust or will to enable larger projects and purchases.

Adoptions

Adoptable animals are shared on Facebook and on Adopt a Pet. Regular adoption fees are $80–110 for dogs and puppies and $50–70 for cats and kittens; some fees are reduced or waived thanks to donations and for animals that have already been sterilized.

The shelter staff keeps a list of those interested in adopting a certain breed, size, age, etc, or a rabbit, hamster, guinea pig or ferret, so that folks can be contacted when a matching animal becomes available.

Animal Control in Blount County

Animal Control in Unincorporated Areas of Blount County is handled by Dep. Brock Echols, who began his post as ACO at the Blount County Sheriff's Office in August 2024.

Dep. Echols is the only countywide ACO, covering 650 sq.mi and serving 60,000 residents. Dep. Echols shared with us that the job’s workload could keep several ACOs busy; former ACO Sgt. Jeff Kirkland had said the same.

When calling, keep in mind that it may be the following weekday before Dep. Echols is able to respond. Cruelty and hoarding cases are prioritized and can take a full day or longer to address. Simply driving from one call to another can take over an hour. Even with this challenge, Dep. Echols quickly demonstrated great effectiveness by uncovering and ending severe hoarding and abuse situations, two of which had festered for over 15 years prior to Echols’ tenure.

On evenings and weekends, other deputies may respond. The Blount County Sheriff’s Office advises that since Dep. Echols specializes in enforcement of animal law, it may be most effective to wait to report until he is on duty (M-F), or follow up with Dep. Echols if the initial response was by another officer, to ensure that Dep. Echols receives the report.

Dep. Echols impounds loose dogs countywide except in Oneonta, where impoundment is handled by the Public Works department. If your pet was impounded anywhere in Blount County except Oneonta (see below), reclaim at the shelter. Bring your pet’s current rabies vaccination certificate, if you have one.

Animal Control Within Corporate Limits & Police Jurisdiction:

• Blountsville: Report violations of municipal code, including neighbors who allow their dogs to run loose or exceeding the maximum number of animals per household [§ 3-4(e) and § 3-23], to Town Hall at 205-429-2406. Reports are addressed by Code Enforcement Officer Phillip Hathcock via a notice for the first violation and a citation for a second offense. Impoundment of loose dogs is handled by Blount County Animal Control. Neglect, abuse, hoarding, and other violations of state law are addressed by Blount County Animal Control and/or Blountsville Police.
• Oneonta: Impoundment of loose dogs is the responsibility of the Public Works Department, whose 9–10 staff members are all certified in animal control and work an on-call rotation of one week at a time. To reclaim your pet that was impounded in Oneonta, go to City Hall and follow the City’s procedure. Report violations of city ordinances, including neighbors who allow their dogs to run loose, to Oneonta City Hall at 205-274-2150. For other concerns or violations, call Oneonta Police at 205-625-4351 or Blount County Animal Control. Dog licensing is required annually; the charge is $5; the fee for a delinquent license is $25 [§ 3-31–32].
• Allgood, Altoona, Cleveland, County Line, Garden City, Hayden, Highland Lake, Locust Fork, Nectar, Remlap, Rosa, Snead, Susan Moore, Trafford, and Warrior: Call Blount County Animal Control.

Cruelty investigation within corporate limits may be handled by Dep. Echols and/or the local police department.

Dog Confinement Requirements in Blount County

Warrior municipal limits are entirely within Jefferson County, according to the Blount County Sheriff’s Office. The statute still applies at Warrior addresses that are in Blount County. For Warrior addresses in Jefferson County, see Dog Confinement Requirements in Jefferson County.

County Adoption of Alabama’s Dogs Running at Large Statute

Blount County Commission adopted Alabama Code § 3-1-5 after several residents came to commissioners with their concerns about public safety and quality of life. Meeting records and news coverage:

• Previous discussion of the running-at-large law statute twice in Commission history, in 2001 and in 2017, according to information received from an August 2024 records request.
• Introduction — The week prior to the July 9, 2024 Commission meeting at which the dog confinement statute would be discussed, the Blount County published an overview of the statute with comments from residents and officials.
• Residents Address Commissioners — Residents Terry Palmore, Leia Windham, and Kristen Henderson aired their concerns about public safety and quality of life amid the many unconfined dogs in Blount County. Video of the July 9 meeting is not working as of this June 2026 update; if it is restored, see 23:25 to 43:30. Also see Meeting Minutes pages 2–3.
• Statute Adopted – Following the discussions on July 9 and August 8 (audio-only, 12:45 to 46:45, and currently not functional), the Blount County Commission unanimously adopted Alabama Code § 3-1-5 on August 13, 2025. See the record of the vote excerpted from the full meeting minutes and this coverage we provided for the Blount Countian.
• Violation Procedure Established — In March 2025, Blount County officials established their procedure for the reporting and enforcement of running-at-large violations.
• Illuminate Our Local Laws — Blount County dog confinement law research required learning what dog-related local ordinances are in effect. This commentary, published in the Blount Countian, describes what happened when I asked about ordinances in each of Blount County's municipalities.

Low-Cost Spay & Neuter in Blount County

For more options, see Low-Cost Spay/Neuter in Alabama. If you need financial assistance, please contact:

• Animal Adoption Center of Blount County
• Animal-Angels Foundation Pet Help Desk: 833-754-7542
• Peggy Cropp of FCDF — call or text 205-243-9946

Blount County Documents

• Animal Adoption Center of Blount County Animal Census Data
• Adoption of Alabama Code § 3-1-5, plus additional coverage above.
• Blount County Commission Public Records Request Form (PDF), also accessible from the Blount County website: click the Government menu. Requests may be submitted to the email address on the form.

Blount County articles:

• Blount County Issues First Pet Protection Ban
• What Will Happen to Your Pet if You Die? and Aggie’s Story
• Blount Countians Care for Animals in Extreme Cold
• Charges Filed in Blountsville Dog Hoarding Case
• One Dead and Two Injured in Cleveland Dog Attack
• Foster Parents Open Hearts & Homes
• Pet a Shelter Cat for Their Health — and Yours
• ACO Jeff Kirkland Praised at Retirement
• Is Alabama Power spraying pesticides on your property?

Sources

• Karen Startley, Director of Animal Adoption Center of Blount County, kstartley@blountcountyal.gov, discussed AAC and other topics with Kristin Yarbrough on many occasions. Shelter sterilization practices were provided by Karen in April 2025. Staff details are from Karen in late 2024. We appreciate that Karen provides AAC census data via email each month.
• ACO Dep. Brock Echols shared animal control information on Aug. 18, 2025.
• Mark Staton, Blount County Administrator, 205-973-0285, discussed the AAC in an informal meeting in Oct. 2025 and has assisted with information requests.
• Sgt. Jason Paul, Public Information Officer at Blount County Sheriff’s Office, 205-625-4127, has communicated with thoughtfulness, warmth, and a balance of openness and respect of privacy. Sgt. Paul has graciously educated me on law enforcement operations, making it possible to grasp a bigger picture and to report on topics like dog confinement law procedures with greater accuracy.
• Blount County Commission Chairman Bradley Harvey (who was then a Commissioner) and former Chairman Chris Green spoke openly in summer 2024 regarding the Commission’s adoption of Alabama Code § 3-1-5.
• District Judge Sherry Burns did not respond to an email and phone call regarding possession bans in June 2025.
• Circuit Judge Gregory Reid did not respond to an email regarding possession bans in June 2025.
• Catherine Denard, former director, Blount County Department of Human Services (DHR), made herself available on short notice for an Apr. 3, 2025, meeting regarding the human aspects of animal hoarding and enthusiasticly invited further collaboration; but follow-up was difficult — as it turned out, Catherine had been quietly replaced as in late July 2025, according to two unverifiable sources and the Alabama DHR website’s listing of an interim director.
• Pamela Casey, Blount County District Attorney. The DA’s office ignored or declined several invitations to comment for Blount Countian coverage of animal cruelty and other legal topics. The only call that Casey returned, on June 3, 2025, regarded possession bans in animal hoarding cases. Casey reacted as if the concept was nonsensical, asking me whether I had ever, anywhere, heard of a possession ban being issued; I cited the sentencing of Bobbie Jean Taylor (1, 2), former director of the Lawrence County Animal Shelter. The day after that phone call, Blount County’s first pet possession ban was ordered in an animal hoarding case prosecuted by Assistant DA Patrick Hubauer.
• Blount County Probation Office: An Alabama Department of Probation and Paroles (ADPP) officer promptly met with me and spoke openly for reporting on a state animal law topic. I very much appreciate this person who I am not naming due to state department restrictions on communication with reporters.
• Blount County Municipalities: I researched animal-related municipal ordinances in Blount County municipalities in late 2024 and early 2025, which required requesting from the many town councils that did not post their records online. (Only Blountsville and Oneonta publish ordinances on Municode.) All requests were submitted informally (via phone or email, without use of a form), and all requests were fulfilled via email without resistance except in Snead, where the town clerk insisted on an in-person request. I shared my thoughts in this commentary.

Municipal Sources: As stated in the commentary that arose from this project, only 3 of Blount County’s 14 municipalities publicly post their ordinances. For the other 11, I relied on town officials to provide any and all dog-related ordinances. I had no way to verify when told that the town had no such ordinance, or that the ordinance sent was the only dog-related law, or whether it was the current law. If an official spoke from his or her memory, there was no public records book at the Courthouse or elsewhere in which I could search for myself. This is to say that while I take full responsible for the summaries and interpretation of the ordinances, I cannot know the completeness or accuracy of the source material.

• Allgood Clerk/Treasurer Teresa Coin, Sept. 3–4, 2024; Jan. 27, 2025; and March 11, 2025. Teresa stated that this is Allgood’s only dog-related ordinance. We also spoke about the inapplicability of the state at-large law due to the municipal license tag requirement. Follow-up information sent Apr. 14 to advise the Council regarding repealing the tag requirement so that the statute would apply in Allgood. On a June 20, 2025 call with Teresa, I learned that the Council had revised the ordinance in May! Teresa emailed the ordinance.
• Altoona Town Clerk Teresa Hutchens, Mar. 13, 2025. Follow-up information sent Apr. 15 to advise the Council regarding removing the tag mention so that the statute would apply in Altoona. On a June 20, 2025 call with Teresa, I learned that the Council had revised the ordinance in May! (Just as happened in Allgood!) Teresa emailed the ordinance.
• Blountsville Interim Town Clerk Melissa Sanseen, Sept. 4, 2024 phone call; Court Clerk Lindsey Hyde, Jan. 8, 2025 phone call; and Code Enforcement Officer Phillip Hathcock via text on Mar. 12, 2025.
• Cleveland Town Clerk Miranda Shirley provided the PDF of the current and previous ordinances and the contact instructions in Sept. 2024, Jan. 2025, and on Mar. 11, 2025.
• County Line Town Clerk Lucy Kiley via a call on Sept. 4, 2024. (The town posts ordinances and resolutions, though Lucy stated that the lists are not up-to-date.) 
• Hayden Town Clerk Dana Bradford (who also consulted with the police chief), Mar. 12, 2025 stated that Hayden has no dog-related ordinances, to their knowledge.
• Highland Lake Mayor Gail Bailey offered the option to report to police department for quicker response due to limited hours of the Town Office, Jan. 7, 2025 phone call. Ordinances are posted on the Town website.
• Locust Fork Town Clerk April Hudson provided the PDF on Jan. 7, 2025, stating that it was the town’s only dog-related law.
• Nectar Town Clerk Kristel Jones and Mayor Rickey Box via email on Sept. 11, 2024.
• Oneonta Mayor Richard Phillips provided reporting instructions via August 28, 2024 phone call. For follow-up reporting, I spoke on June 23, 2025 with Ashley at Oneonta PD and a magistrate at Oneonta Municipal Court.
• Rosa Mayor Andy Ellis stated on Jan. 28, 2025 that to the best of his knowledge, Rosa has no dog-related ordinances. Thanks to Cheryl Helton for the assistance in reaching Andy.
• Snead: Assistant Magistrate Ashlynn Salmon via phone call on Jan. 8, 2025; Chief of Police Casey Hathcock, Jan. 27, 2025 phone call; Town Clerk Jammie Osborn, Mar. 10–13, 2025 phone calls and emails. Jammie stated that 2016-03 is Snead’s only dog-related ordinance. For follow-up reporting, I spoke on June 23, 2025 with Officer Roper, who said PD had received over 50 complaints this spring alone and that due to dog bite incidents, officers issue a citation on the first offense, if witnessed. Officer Roper also said that dog owners do usually comply.
• Susan Moore Town Clerk Karen Osborne via phone on Sept. 10, 2024.
• Trafford City Clerk Duane Johnson and Ms. Sherrie of Trafford Court, Mar. 13, were able to uncover what they believe to be Trafford’s only dog-related ordinance.
• Warrior Police Department Lt. Stephen Scott, in a phone call on Jan. 8, 2025, confirmed that no ordinances apply in Blount County: although there are Warrior addresses in Blount County, the address corresponds only to the associated post office.
• Unincorporated information is from multiple conversations with Sgt. Paul, Dep. Echols, and Sheriff Mark Moon at Blount County Sheriff’s Office.

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