Website Contents

Animal Control & Pounds Across Alabama

• Animal Control & Pounds by County shows which counties provide an impoundment facility or shelter and/or at least one animal control officer, including information and research notes on each county.
• Animal Shelter Laws is an overview of the main requirements for and within animal shelters, including the maintenance of an impoundment facility, conditions for impoundment, stray hold, reclaiming lost pets, sterilization, and Animal Census Reports.
• Dogs at Large Laws explains Alabama Code § 3-1-5, the state dog confinement or “leash law,” and similar municipal ordinances, the conditions in which they apply, where to report a violation, how the laws are enforced, and penalties.
• Has Your County Adopted § 3-1-5? Check the map to determine whether your county requires residents of the unincorporated area (and some municipalities) to confine dogs to their own property. Sources & Details offers supplemental information and research notes on each county.
• Man’s Best Friend, Cattleman’s Foe explores the origin of the 1915 dogs at large law and the hold of special interest groups on animal legislation in Alabama.
• Dog Confinement Law Information for Counties & Municipalities includes considerations for elected officials, animal control officers, law enforcement agencies, and citizens prior to adopting Alabama Code § 3-1-5 or a municipal ordinance.
• How to Report an At-Large Violation is a step-by-step guide on how to document, report, and press charges.

Animal Cruelty

• Cruelty Laws discusses Alabama’s two sets of cruelty statutes, the key difference between the two, and municipal ordinances, including what to know prior to Reporting Cruelty.
• A History of Alabama’s Cruelty Laws traces the philosophic evolution from the concept of animals as mere property to meriting of protection for their own sake, the state’s first cruelty law (1977), and the legislative actions since then.
• Animal Hoarding shares what every advocate must know about hoarding. Animal Hoarding in Depth discusses scholarly research on hoarding.
• How to Report Cruelty is a step-by-step guide on how to document, report, and press charges.

Concerns & Conflicts

• Lost, Stray, or Abandoned is a guide on helping a lost, stray, or abandoned dog or cat, with special consideration of the legal issues involved.
• Keep Your Pet Out of Shelters offers guidance on pet parent plans and options when it appears that you must re-home your pet, and what to do when your pet is lost.
• When Dogs Kill Livestock discusses the laws that hold a dog owner responsible for harm or death to livestock, how to report, and how to determine damages.
• Right to Defend discusses when residents may and may not legally harm an animal and suggests nonviolent remedies.

Legal Topics

• An Overview of Alabama’s Laws discusses the state's legislative system and governance structure at the state, county, and municipal level and introduces several of Alabama's animal-related laws.
• Public Records Requests in Alabama includes how to request public records in Alabama, what to do if your request is denied or unfulfilled, and a briefing on Alabama’s Open Records Act. Public Records Access documents the results of requests throughout across the state.
• Elected Officials offers guidance on identifying and communicating with elected and appointed government officials.
• Enforcement of Animal Laws covers jurisdiction, how animal-related violations are enforced, challenges to enforcement, enforcement authority, and what to do if a situation is not being addressed. Cullman County’s Proactive Approach describes how Cullman County has prioritized and empowered ACOs and how Alabama counties can learn from their example.
• Complaints is a guide to the largely unknown process sometimes referred to as “pressing charges” or “swearing out a warrant,” through which a resident or civilian ACO can present evidence of a violation. Some violations can only be addressed via complaint; in other cases, a complaint is way to urge action on an issue that is not being addressed by law enforcement or animal control authorities.
• Evidence describes the information and materials that are sometimes necessary to demonstrate a violation.
• FAQ addresses questions such as anonymity of the witness, helping animals without breaking laws, what to do if an animal has critical injuries or medical needs, and legal terms.

Other Content

• Home includes an introduction, a request to share site content, and contact information.
• About shares the personal experience that became the impetus for education and advocacy.
• Sharing offers graphics and share links to make it easy to offer information on reporting cruelty (cat and dog versions) or concerns related to loose dogs (at-large violations; lost, stray, or abandoned; or harm to livestock). There is also Facebook sharing built-in to most website pages: click the image.

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