Alabama Animal Advocates

Animal Census Reports in Alabama

Imagine of woman sitting at a desk examining data.

Alabama Animal Shelter Data

This list includes data that is shared publicly or that has been provided in response to our requests. Most does not fully meet the requirements of the Animal Census Reporting Act. To add shelter data to this list, email us.

Monthly Animal Shelter Data is Required

All public pounds and shelters in Alabama are required to report monthly on animal intakes, outcomes, sterilization, and costs, per Alabama Code §§ 3-10, the Animal Census Reporting Act of 2015. Each report is due 30 days from the end of the month and must be maintained for at least three years, per § 3-10-4. The requirement applies to all facilities that are government-operated or that have a contract with a county or municipality, per § 3-10-2.

Many animal shelters use industry-specific software that includes the information required by the law, but not in the exact format required by the law. The specific information to be included is delineated in § 3-10-3:

If a facility reports surprisingly large numbers in the Lost or Died in Care, the most frequent explanation is that the facility had not been accurately tracking their animal outcomes, and no one can remember what happened to the animals weeks or months later when the discrepency was discovered.

It is also important to note that facilities are not required to accept animals surrendered by their owners. Some do so responsibly by considering surrenders on a managed basis (rather than immediately), accepting only in critical circumstances such as an owner’s incapacity or death with no family in the state. Counseling, such as done by shelter staff or volunteers, has been shown to significantly decrease the number of surrenders by helping owners keep their pets or seek a different solution. Temporary assistance with vet costs or pet food, short-term fostering, negotiation with landlords, fence repair to keep a dog on the owner’s premises, or installation of an overhead run line are some of many ways to keep pets with their families — a solution that benefits all involved.

How to Request Animal Shelter Data in Alabama

Sometimes the animal census is provided online, such as on the shelter website or a government website. Those that we are aware of are linked below. In most cases, though, it is necessary to request the report from the shelter or from the local government (county or city). For example:

This is a request for the [Name of Shelter] monthly animal census reports, per Ala. Code § 3-10-1 et seq., for January through August 2025. I prefer that the records be delivered via email or weblink.

You may be asked to fill out a Public Records Request form or submit a formal request according to the Open Records Act. Per § 3-10-4, “access to the reports shall not be denied for any reason.” (If your request is denied, please let us know.)

The shelter, county commission, or city council is allowed to charge a “reasonable fee,” which is undefined. We have never been asked to pay for census records delivered digitally nor more than $5 for paper records.

Examples of Non-Compliant Reports

If you are provided with a report that does not separate all intakes and all outcomes by species, such as shown below, ask for a report that separates the data.

This sample animal census report shows combined animal outcomes. Ask for a report that breaks down the data by species.
This sample animal census report shows combined animal outcomes. Ask for a report that breaks down the data by species.

Yet other shelters create a narrative report that logs activity by date, as shown below. This does not meet the detailed requirements of the law. If you are provided with a narrative report, ask for a report that sets out the data as detailed in the law.

This sample animal census report is prepared in a narrative style that does not meet the requirements of the Animal Census Reporting Act.
This narrative-style report does not meet the requirements of Alabama’s Animal Census Reporting Act, Alabama Code §§ 3-10.

If you interact with a public official or shelter director who is open to using a free form to make it easier to meet the reporting requirements, share this form. The information about costs and expenses will need to be recorded separately and attached to the report form.