Animal Services in Talladega 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 Talladega County

Sylacauga Animal Shelter
1212 Wynette Rd, Sylacauga, AL
256-391-4142
Facebook

Sylacauga Animal Shelter is operated by the City of Sylacauga, according to Jennifer Lacey of Talladega County Commission. Stephanie Engle serves as shelter director.

Residents can bring dogs or cats to the shelter for impound, but only if space is available, according to a shelter representative, and only if the animal is found within a close range of the shelter. Sources offered slightly different versions of the acceptable range, as noted below. Jennifer said the Commission is “trying to come up with a solution for the north end of the county,” which has no animal services at all.

On Aug. 15, 2025, the Sylacauga Animal Shelter shared an undated Daily Home article in which county residents stated that there was nowhere to take stray or abandoned dogs. “When we contacted the county, someone told us to shoot the dogs,” resident Rebecca House told the County Commission, as quoted in the article; Commissioner Tony Haynes remarked that the county did not have the money to improve the situation. When we asked about the instruction to shoot, Jennifer said that residents were instructed to shoot only if they felt the need to defend.

Talladega County contributes $20,000 per year, according to Mitzi Martin. Since the county has no animal control and contributes to the Sylacauga Animal Shelter at a rate far below the county’s pro rata share of costs, Talladega County is failing to fulfill the statutory mandate of Alabama Code § 3-7A-7 that “Each county within the state shall provide a suitable county pound and impounding officer.”

Animal Control in Talladega County

Animal Control in Unincorporated Areas of Talladega County: Talladega County has no animal control services, according to Jennifer Lacey of Talladega County Commission, and most county residents cannot bring loose animals to the shelter themselves due to the limited impoundment range. The county used to have a contract with the City of Talladega, but the agreement ended due to a lack of agency cooperation, Jennifer said. Contact Talladega County Sheriff’s Office for assistance.

Animal Control Within Corporate Limits & Police Jurisdiction:

For assistance in Childersburg, call Central Dispatch at 256-761-1556 x8. Animal Control is a division of Childerburg Police Department. Impounded dogs are posted on the Childersburg Code Enforcement / Animal Control Facebook page.
Lincoln is served by ACO Tiffany Dickie at Lincoln Police Department’s Animal Control Division: 256-761-1556 x8.
Animal control in Oxford appears to be the responsibility of the Police Department. Call 256-831-3121.
Sylacauga ACO Brandon Gerrins, a military veteran and Sylacauga native, began his service as Sylacauga ACO in December 2025, according to a Facebook post from Sylacauga Animal Shelter. For assistance, call the Sylacauga Animal Shelter.
In the City of Talladega, call Talladega Animal Control at 256-362-5856. Talladega Animal Control is a private company that contracts with the city. Announcements and adopted animals are shared on the Talladega Animal Control Facebook page.
Alpine, Sycamore, Fayetteville, Munford, and Renfroe have no animal services — no ACO and no impoundment facility — per Mitzi Martin. For assistance with animal crimes, contact the police department or the Talladega County Sheriff’s Office.

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

Dog Confinement Requirements in Talladega County

County Adoption of Alabama’s Dog Confinement Statute: Dog confinement is not required in unincorporated Talladega County because the Talladega 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 Lincoln (2010-16), Oxford (§ 6-70), Sylacauga (§ 4-24), and Talladega (Ordinance 1799). In Talladega, confinement must be indoors or in a fenced enclosure, as tethers, ropes, chains, and similar lines are prohibited by Ordinance 1901.
Childersburg, Bon Air, Munford, Oak Grove, Talladega Springs, Vincent (also in Shelby County & St. Clair County), Waldo: No animal control ordinance appears to be posted on the the website of these municipalities or via Municode, and we have not yet confirmed whether a confinement requirement is in effect. Please email us if you can share information.

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

Low-Cost Spay & Neuter in Talladega County

In 2025, Talladega County supported The Feral Dogs of Avondale Mill with a $25,000 grant which enables the organization to hold $30 sterilization voucher sales and to sterilize strays at no cost to the neighborhood, according to board member Mitzi Martin. Mitzi is hopeful that the grant will be awarded again and added that with more funding, the organization would be able to sterilize more strays.
Pet transportation is available from Sylacauga to Alabama Spay Neuter in Irondale. Financial assistance is also available.
See Low-Cost Spay/Neuter in Alabama and Low-Cost Spay/Neuter in St. Clair County for additional resources.

Access to Information & Public Records in Talladega County

Sources agreed that the Sylacauga Animal Shelter accepted lost, stray, or abandoned animals brought in by residents, if the animal was found within a certain range, though the details of that range varied:

If found within three miles of the Sylacauga Animal Shelter, according to Jennifer Lacey, Commission secretary.
If found within a three-mile radius around Sylacauga, according to Mitzi Martin, board member of the Feral Dogs of Avondale Mill.
If found within five miles outside the city limit of Sylacauga, and if space is available, according to a shelter representative.

Talladega County Documents

County Commission Public Records Request Form: Talladega County Commission does not appear to have a Public Records Request form on their website. Call the Commission to request or submit according to the Open Records Act template.

Sources

Jennifer Lacey, Commission secretary, 256-362-1357, stated on Mar. 25, 2025 that the Commission has not adopted Alabama Code § 3-1-5. On Apr. 29, 2025, Jennifer offered information about Talladega County’s contract with Sylacauga and the lack of animal control. We spoke again on Aug. 28, 2025 regarding the impoundment range.
Mitzi Martin, Feral Dogs of Avondale Mill board member, shared information on Facebook on Aug. 28, 2025. Mitzi wrote that the impoundment zone is “a 3 mile radius around Sylacauga.” Thanks to Mitzi also for advising in Jan. 2026 that Sylacauga had hired an ACO in Dec. 2025 and for providing a link to City of Talladega ordinances. Mitzi’s Facebook posts and comments are instrumental in keeping us updated about animal services in Talladega County and its municipalities.
A Sylacauga Animal Shelter representative stated via Facebook Messenger on Aug. 15, 2025 that “Our animal control services Talladega county up to 5 miles outside our city limit. We take strays when we have available space.” A question about funding sources was not answered.
An unidentified representative stated Talladega Animal Control is a private company handles animal control for the City of Talladega but has not had the county contract since Aug. 2024.

Other information was sourced from websites, as linked.

Do You Have a Correction, Addition, or Comment?

Please see the note at the top of this page.