About Guntersville Animal Shelter

At Guntersville Animal Shelter, it is our mission to help the available animals gain the exposure they rightfully deserve and to do our part to find them a loving home in our community. Without a doubt, a loving and friendly cat or dog can put an instant smile on your face! When you adopt a dog or cat from Guntersville Animal Shelter, you gain a wonderful feline or canine companion. But most of all, when you adopt a rescue cat or dog, you have the ability to bond with one of Alabama’s forgotten and neglected animals. All of the wonderful kittens, puppies, cats and dogs at Guntersville Animal Shelter are patiently awaiting their forever homes.

We are currently working with the Guntersville City Animal Control regarding a program designed to do just that. We put all the animals that we shelter onto several websites including Pet Finder and Facebook. All adoptable animals brought in by Guntersville City Animal Control are fully vetted: which includes, Examination, Spay/Neuter, Heartworm test/Feline Leukemia test, Fecal exam/deworm, Treatment for ear mites, Rabies vaccine, Distemper/Parvo vaccine, and are adoptable for a $75 adoption donation. Come see the photos on Facebook, then come see us and meet the wonderful pets we have for adoption!!!

Spay & Neuter Program

The Guntersville Animal Shelter is committed to reducing the number of unwanted animals born in this city each year and to improving the quality of pets’ lives. Spaying (female dogs and cats) and neutering (male dogs and cats) are surgical procedures that ensure the animal cannot reproduce. In a city and a country where too many animals wait for too few homes, spaying and neutering is part of responsible pet ownership. Spaying and neutering have many benefits for the altered animal in addition to reducing the numbers of unwanted pets. Altered pets generally live longer, have fewer health problems related to reproduction, are easier to train and live with and have less desire to roam (and be hit by cars or lost). Altered male dogs and cats are less likely to engage in frustrating urine marking behaviors, and tend to be less aggressive; the vast majority of serious dog bites are inflicted by unaltered male dogs. Altered females do not go into season (“heat”), saving lots of frustration for their owners. Unaltered pets also have a higher incidence of preventable reproductive cancers, and the chances of these cancers occurring increases as the pet ages. In addition to the above benefits, having an altered pet means peace of mind for the responsible owner, who knows his or her pet will never contribute to the pet overpopulation crisis. If your pet is adopted from GAH city program they will have already been altered. If your pet did not come from us, we do perform spaying and neutering by appointment only.

Pet Foster Parenting

A pet foster parent provides a safe and loving environment for friendly kittens, puppies, dogs, cats until they are adopted. In addition to affection, the foster parent provides basic care for the animals such as food, water, and shelter. Temporarily opening your home to an animal is a special way to show your passion for helping animals. Many of the animals looking for foster homes face challenges that can best be overcome with the loving support of our fantastic foster volunteers. Foster homes also give us the ability to open up our kennels for even more animals in need. As a foster volunteer you may host animals with special medical or behavioral needs, mother animals with nursing litters, or puppies, or kittens under eight weeks of age who need special feeding and socialization. By fostering an animal you are providing rehabilitation in a nurturing home environment, directly preparing them for adoption into a forever home.

Make a Donation

Making a financial donation to a shelter can help cover their working and facilities costs, plus the costs of food and medical care. Beyond making a fiscal donation, shelters are in desperate need of supplies as well. Check with your local shelter on their donation needs and programs and the best ways you can help.

Shelter Volunteers

Shelters need volunteers to do everything from feeding, caring for and keeping rescue animals company, to assisting at adoption events, stuffing envelopes for mailings, or spearheading a fundraiser. As a volunteer, you can get an opportunity to give needy animals much needed love and attention.

Lost Pets

What to do if your pet gets lost – go to www.findtoto.com. For a reasonable price you can have your neighbors informed of your lost pet in no time flat. The service alerts thousands of neighbors within minutes of ordering using a location specific mapping system. Without proper identification, you might never find your pet if he becomes lost. If your pet does become lost, please don’t delay. Take the following steps to help bring your companion animal home to safety.

• Act fast! Don’t waste days hoping your pet will come home, the sooner you begin your search, the better the odds of finding him or her.
• Be persistent! Often times, well meaning people will keep a lost pet at their house for an extended period before turning the dog or cat into the animal shelter
• Search your neighborhood or area where your pet was lost and let people know she’s missing. You may want to offer a reward. Call your pet’s name and check any places she could have become trapped, such as in garages or under vehicles. A lost pet often will hide during the day, so be sure to go out again at night with a flashlight and call for him or her. Sometimes a can of food can lure a hungry and scared pet.
• Put a piece of your clothing outside that has your scent on it. Your scent could help lead him or her home.
• Call all animal control agencies in your town and surrounding areas. Animal control officers work through the police department and pick up stray animals. Call them or check their shelters at least every two days. Only you can positively identify your pet.
• Guntersville City Animal Control 256-571-7571
• Marshall County Animal Control 256-582-2034
• Check your local animal control at least every 72 hours. Unlicensed, stray dogs and cats, are only required to be held for seven days before they can be adopted or euthanized.
• Send in a notice to your local newspaper or radio station.
• Make “lost pet” signs using your pet’s description (include a picture if possible). List the sex, color, tags, collars or distinguishing characteristics, the area lost, and your information for someone to contact you. Post the signs in your neighborhood and in post offices, libraries, pet supply stores, veterinary offices, grocery stores, schools, and nearby neighbors.
• Inform your veterinarian and groomer that your pet is lost in case they receive a call.
• Place ads in local newspapers and offer a reward in case someone found your untagged pet and was thinking of keeping him.
• Watch the found ads. Respond to any that might be close to your pet’s description. A week of wandering the streets can make white pets look drab gray, and the ad’s description might not exactly fit.
• Call your local radio stations. Some radio stations will broadcast lost pet information for free. Give them very detailed information on where your pet was lost, her description and how to contact you.
• If you have recently moved, leave notices with neighbors in both your old and new neighborhoods, and check with agencies in that area.
• Make sure that all current and correct information is on file for your dog’s license and rabies tags.
• If your animal has been micro-chipped, make sure the company has your current information. Check your neighborhood frequently on foot. Be sure to check at night. If your pet is in an area it is not familiar with, it will only come out when it is quiet.

Microchipping

A microchip is often called “the I.D. that cannot be lost.” It is a small computer chip the size of a grain of rice that is commonly implanted in the pet near the shoulder blades. It is implanted with a special syringe and the procedure only takes a few moments. It may sting the pet momentarily, but this goes away quickly, and the benefits of having your pet microchipped far outweigh the few seconds of discomfort (the procedure is much like giving vaccinations to the animal). The chip is designed to attach itself inside the skin and it can be left in place for the rest of the animal’s life without harm.

If a pet who has been implanted with a chip is found and taken to a shelter or veterinarian who has a scanner, the scanner will detect the presence of a chip and the shelter or vet can call a registry to find the owner information. It is imperative that owners of chipped animals make sure their registry information is complete and updated as needed. (The agency that microchips your pet will either send in your registry info for you, or will give you all the info you need to send it in yourself.)

Because of microchipping, animals have been reunited with their owners even after years of being lost, and at great distances. Here at Guntersville Animal Shelter we use the universal scanner to check each animal. Microchipping is a great way to make sure lost pets can get home again. Make sure your pet wears an updated I.D. tag on his collar at all times, too. Ask a staff member for more information.

Animal Cruelty

Please contact the following organizations if you suspect animal cruelty. Please review the questions below if you would like guidelines on what constitutes animal cruelty.

Companion Animals: City 256-571-7571 County 256-582-2034
Horses, mules, donkeys: 256-582-2034
Cattle, swine, goats, sheep, chickens, llamas: 256-582-2034, 256-582-2034
Whitetail deer, raptors, large cats: 256-582-2034

Incidents of animal fighting or animal cruelty may go unreported because of a lack of understanding of what constitutes animal cruelty and the agency that should be notified when it is witnessed. This page explains the legal parameters surrounding animal cruelty charges and the various governmental agencies involved by animal species or activity. These guidelines should help direct you to the proper authority and allow more prompt and effective investigation of incidents. Use of these guidelines will enable the current enforcement manpower to concentrate on investigating, prosecuting and monitoring reported cases.

What Is the Legal Definition of Animal Cruelty in Alabama?

Animal Cruelty (misdemeanor charge): A person commits the offense of cruelty to animals when he/she causes death or unjustifiable physical pain or suffering to any animal by an act, an omission or willful neglect. Willful neglect means the intentional withholding of food and water required by an animal to prevent starvation or dehydration.

• Adequate food and water means food and water that is sufficient in an amount and appropriate for the particular type of animal to prevent starvation, dehydration or a significant risk to the animal’s health from a lack of food or water.
• Humane care of animals means, but is not limited to, the provision of adequate heat, ventilation, sanitary shelter, and wholesome and adequate food and water, consistent with the normal requirements and feeding habits of the animal’s size, species and breed.

Animal Cruelty (felony charge): A person commits the offense of aggravated cruelty to animals when he or she knowingly and maliciously causes death or physical harm to an animal by rendering a part of such animal’s body useless or by seriously disfiguring such animal…(paraphrased) except for conduct otherwise permitted under state or federal law.

• Dog Fighting: A person commits the offense of dog fighting when he/she causes or allows a dog to fight another dog for sport or gaming purposes or maintains or operates any event at which dogs are allowed or encouraged to fight one another.
• Cock Fighting (not legally defined): A person commits the offense of chicken fighting when he/she causes or allows a chicken to fight another chicken for sport or gaming purposes or maintains or operates any event at which chickens are allowed or encouraged to fight one another.
• http://www.apainc.org/files/DDF/Alabama%20Animal%20Cruelty%20Summary.pdf

What Documentation Must I Collect Before Reporting an Alleged Animal Cruelty Incident?

• Witness: The name, address and telephone number of the person who witnessed the alleged incident. Such information may be kept confidential, depending on the particular agency; however, it is helpful for investigators to have a point of contact in the event of misdirection or miscommunication. Remember, the burden of proof falls upon the accuser.
• Who: An accurate identity of the alleged perpetrator, if known, including name, address and telephone number, if possible; other helpful identifying information may include physical description, place of employment, description of vehicles (including tag numbers) and known associates or co-participants in the alleged criminal activity.
• What and How: An accurate and exact description of the incident witnessed. The investigator must receive sufficient details and be able to verify substantial portions of the information as true before being used to establish probable cause. Document complete descriptions of the animals and associated conditions. Please include pertinent conversations with the alleged perpetrator and eyewitness accounts to reconstruct the exact happenings of what and how the incident occurred (written notes and PHOTOGRAPHS are very valuable–a picture is worth a THOUSAND words). Also include written documents or reports that verify conditions (e.g., veterinary examination finding
• When: The date(s) and time(s) of the incident(s)
• Where: The specific location where the incident was witnessed (physical address and city, community or county), including directions.

Who Do I Call to Report an Alleged Animal Cruelty Incident?

• Report all persons to the local law enforcement agency animal control office. The municipal police department or county sheriff’s department using the non-emergency number, unless the alleged perpetrator is actively involved in an act that threatens an animal’s life. If you suspect that other crimes (e.g., illegal drug activity or gambling) are involved, be sure to report this as a part of the call.
• State of Alabama Office of the Attorney General 334-242-7300 http://www.ago.state.al.us/FAQs.aspx

Guntersville Animal Shelter
1609 Henry St.
Guntersville, Alabama 35976
256-582-3184

Hours: Monday-Friday 8:00-5:00 (closed 12:00-1:00) – Saturday 8:00-11:00 – Closed Sunday
Location: We are located right beside the Finley Plaza Shopping Center on Hwy 69 before going across the causeway toward Arab. The Guntersville Memorial Chapel Funeral Home is also next to us.