Animal Services in Lee County

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

Animal Control in Lee 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.

Friends of Lee Co. Animal Control is or was an unaffiliated organization which coordinated a foster program and promotes reclaims and adoption of dogs brought in by Lee Co. Animal Control. A lack of recent Facebook activity suggests the organization may be defunct.

Lee 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.

Phenix City: See Russell Co.
[County population figure includes municipalities. Phenix City is partly in Russell Co. Notasulga is partly in Macon Co. Waverly is partly in Chambers Co.]

Dog Confinement is Required in All of Lee 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 when § 3-1-5 and/or a municipal ordinance prohibits 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 adopt or enact a confinement law.

Lee Co. Commission adopted Alabama Code § 3-1-5 in 1979 via Resolution.

Because Lee County animal control officers are not APOSTC-certified law enforcement officers, they do not have the authority to issue citations for violation of Alabama Code § 3-1-5 (or any other statute), Lisa said. If an ACO witnesses a violation, the sheriff’s office prepares an Incident Report.

However, “nine times out of ten” the ACO does not see the dog or the dog is back on the owner’s property, in which case it is up to the citizen to sign a warrant at the magistrates’ office, Lisa said. Lee County Animal Control is then subpoenaed to bring in records, such as of the resident calling 15 times about the neighbor’s loose dog.

Advocacy in Lee Co.

Lee Co. resident Susan Prainito addressed the Lee Co. Commission on June 29, 2026 regarding animal cruelty and interagency collaboration. She shares her comments here.

Impoundment Facilities & Shelters

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

CARE Humane Society was founded in 1974 as a foster-based rescue called Lee County Humane Society, according to the CARE website. Governmental support from Lee Co. and the cities of Auburn and Opelika in the early 1990s funded the current facility, which has since doubled in size. TJ McCullough serves as shelter manager, and local advocate Susan Prainito tells us that “TJ has done a great job turning the shelter around.”

CARE is a contracted impoundment center for Auburn and Opelika, CARE Health Manager Josh Mitchell told us in April 2025. The website FAQ states that CARE “accept[s] all strays and surrenders within the jurisdictional lines” (which are, presumably, municipal Auburn and Opelika).

Josh said that the organization used to hold the Lee Co. sheltering contract, but some years ago Lee County opted to instead board animals with vet offices.

CARE Humane Society Animal Census

Source: CARE Humane Society Animal Census Reports.
FY = October through September.
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.

Census Reports show that CARE took in dogs and cats from Auburn, Opelika, Lee County, and other areas, with the largest number (807 in FY 2024–’25) from Auburn. Since CARE is not an impoundment facility for Lee County, presumably the approximately 130 intakes from the county took place after Stray Hold.

Reports also show intake of a small number of wild animals (not included in these figures).

Low-Cost Spay & Neuter in Lee Co.

• Programs for low-income residents: SNYP and SNYP Plus reduce the cost of sterilization to $5 to $25 per pet for Lee County residents with a total household income of $50,000 or less.
• Need an affordable snip — and perhaps a ride too? Reduced cost sterilization and pet transportation to Alabama Animal Alliance is available to all, regardless of income or residence location. The FIXIT Waggin’ departs from Auburn and returns the day.
• Friendly and feral community cats and their compassionate caretakers are assisted through the Ann Pearson Memorial Community Cat Program, a Lee Co. TNR program.
• Two Lee County vets participate in the ALVMF license plate program. The co-pay is $10 per cat or $20 per dog, plus an average of $40–100 due if the vet deems your pet to be in need of vaccines or parasite treatments.
• Low-cost sterilization may be offered through PAWS Humane Society in Columbus, Georgia. Contact them via Facebook or at 706-565-0035 to ask about availability.
• See Low-Cost Spay & Neuter in Alabama for additional resources.

Dog Bites & Attacks in Lee 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:

• Lee Co. Health Dept. at 334-745-5765, and
• Law Enforcement: Lee Co. Sheriff’s Office at 334-749-5651, or your police department.

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

Documents & Sources

Lee Co. Documents:

• Lee Co. Resolution to Adopt Alabama Code § 3-1-5 (1979)
• Lee Co. Commission Public Records Request — If your request is denied on the basis of the in-person requirement stated on the form, see this information.

Lee Co. Sources:

• Sept. 29, 2026: TJ McCullough of CARE Humane Society provided CARE Animal Census Reports to Susan Prainito.
• Sept. 21, 2026: Opelika Animal Control is structured in the Environemntal Services department, per the AC webpage, which also states that cats are not picked up. On our first visit to the AC webpage in 2005, the page stated that most impounded dogs are brought to CARE Humane Society, according to the city webpage, while other dogs and cats may be taken to Animal Health Center; it appears that this has changed since no impoundment location is currently stated and the page now says the ACO does not pick up cats.
• Sept. 1, 2026: Michele Aultman, Senior ACO in the City of Auburn, 334.501.3091, maultman@auburnalabama.org, reached out about a specific situation, which offered the opportunity to add Michele's name to the Auburn Animal Control information. Aubrn Animal Control is structured under Environmental Services, per the AC webpage.
• June 6, 2025: Dustin Dutton, Cherokee County ACO and statewide animal control trainer, shared information about animal services in Lee County. Dustin said that Lisa Wimberley prepares Animal Census Reports each month.
• Apr. 25, 2025: Lisa Wimberley, Supervisor at Lee County Animal Control, offered information about animal control and Alabama Code § 3-1-5 status on Mar. 28 and Apr. 25, 2025. Lisa provided the Resolution. Lisa was especially knowledgeable and gracious in sharing information about animal control in Lee County, and we applaud Lee County Animal Control for mentioning Alabama Code § 3-1-5 on their website.
• Apr. 25, 2025: Terrell, ACO at Lee County Animal Control, spoke about animal control on Mar. 28 and Apr. 25, 2025. The department is structured under Lee County Commission’s Environmental Services.
• Mar. 31, 2025: Chris, ACO at Lee County Animal Control, Mar. 31, 2025. We had a brief conversation about Lee County ACOs not having enforcement authority, which he said is fine in some circumstances and in other times necessitates escalation to LEOs.
• Apr. 25, 2025: Josh Mitchell, Health Manager, CARE Humane Society, shared information on Apr. 25, 2025 about CARE's government contracts, policies, and Opelika Animal Hospital also being contracted.

Do You Have a Correction, Addition, or Comment?

Please see the note at the top of this page.