October is Adopt A Shelter Pet Month

What has four paws, a cold nose and a warm heart? An animal companion, that’s what! If you’ve been thinking about getting a pet, consider bypassing the expensive “boutique” breeds and instead, bring home a friend from your local shelter. There are thousands of animals in need of a loving home – and those folks who’ve gone the “rescue route” will tell you that it’s a truly rewarding experience for everyone involved.

Here are some tips for finding the perfect shelter pet:

1) Give yourself time at the shelter – AT LEAST a half hour. Some animals are shyer than others and may need some time to warm up to a person. Watch their interaction with other animals and people, their general energy and interest level.

2) Kittens and puppies are oh-so-cute, but consider adopting an older animal. They tend to be housebroken, calmer and used to people.

3) Shelters do the best they can to determine the health of an animal, but in many cases, medical records are not available. Be prepared to take your new friend for a checkup ASAP. If you have other pets at home, a temporary quarantine of the new animal in a separate room is a good idea until you know their situation.

4) Ask about discount rates on spaying, neutering, shots and/or microchip identification. Many shelters have arrangements with local veterinarians to provide these services. Before you cringe, spaying and neutering greatly increases the lifespan of companion animals as well as their (and your) quality of life.

5) Consider your lifestyle: will you be away from home during the day? It might be worth getting an additional friend to keep your pet company, ideally from the same litter. Provide food and water, toys and room to play to keep them happy and well-behaved.

6) When you bring your new friend home, make sure small children know how to properly handle and care for them. You might try gradually introducing them so no one makes a bad “first impression.” If you already have animals at home, keep the new pet in a different room for a day or so and allow other pets to “smell” them through a closed door. Supervise their introduction, and be sure to give the older pet lots of attention so they don’t feel upstaged.

If you can’t bring a pet home, consider supporting your local shelter with either cash donations, supplies (they usually have a list of things they need) or volunteering your time. You’ll get back far more than you put in!




Alabama Animal Shelters

Alabama Animal Adoption Society
2808 Crescent Avenue
Homewood, Alabama 35220
205-871-6351


Adopt-A-Pet Save A Life
522 N. Craft Highway
Chickasaw, Alabama 36611
251-457-4529


Alabama Animal Rescue
45 Hunters Trace
Pelham, Alabama 35124
205-621-2157


Alabama Boxer Rescue and Adoption, Inc.
103 Chattahoochee
Montgomery, Alabama 36117
334-272-2590


Alabama Equine Rescue
P.O. Box 517
Odenville, Alabama 35120
205-680-1862


Alabama Humane Federation
c/o Chilton County Humane Society
P.O. Box 444
Clanton, Alabama 35046
205-755-9170


Andalusia Animal Shelter
101 Coliseum Ave
Andalusia, Alabama 36420
334-222-8705


Andalusia Area Humane Society
1906 E.Three Notch Street
Andalusia, Alabama 36420
334-222-8142


Animal Rescue Foundation
P.O. Box 50065
Mobile, Alabama 36605
251-478-9743


Animal Shelter Guntersville
1609 Henry Street
Guntersville, Alabama 35967
256-582-3184


Animal Shelter of Pell City, Inc
1071 Airport Road
Pell City, Alabama 35128
205-814-1567


Anniston Animal Control
P.O. Box 670
Anniston, Alabama 36202



ARK - Always for Animals Refuge Kindness
139 Bo Cole Road
Huntsville, Alabama 35806
256-851-4088


Athens Limestone Humane Society
P.O. Box 725
Athens, Alabama 35612
256-233-4021


Atmore Animal Shelter
201 Louisville Avenue
Atmore, Alabama 36502
334-368-0859


Atmore Animal Shelter
206 Cindebran Drive
Atmore, Alabama 36502-1008
251-368-0859


Baldwin County Humane Society
306 Magnolia
Fairhope, Alabama 36532
251-928-4585


Birmingham Metro - Jefferson County Animal Shelter
6227 5th Avenue N
Birmingham, Alabama 35212
205-591-6522


Boykin Spaniel Rescue
94 Sunrise Dr.
Eufaula, Alabama 36027
334-687-4950


Bullock County Humane Society
5809 Hyde Park Drive
Montgomery, Alabama 36117
334-738-2432


Calhoun County Humane Society / Shelter
1201 Parkwood Drive
Anniston, Alabama 36201
256-236-1581


Cat Welfare Society
4317 Fair Oaks Drive
Birmingham, Alabama 35213
205-879-2728


Central Alabama Animal Shelter
3274 County Road 81
Selma, Alabama 36703
334-872-5683


Chattahoochee Humane Society
3265 Fairfax Bypass Road
Valley, Alabama 36854
334-756-9377


Chihuahua-Toy Breed Rescue & Retirement
6145 County Road 28
Lafayette, Alabama 36862



Chilton County Humane Society
P.O. Box 444
Clanton, Alabama 35046
205-755-9170


Circle of Friends
4 S. Bancroft Street
Fairhope, Alabama 36532
334-928-0750


Coffee County Humane Society
25944 Highway 134
Enterprise, Alabama 36330
334-393-1743


Conecuh County Humane Society
406 Liberty Hill Drive
Evergreen, Alabama 63401
251-578-3046


Coosa Valley Humane Society
P.O. Box 1090
Sylacauga, Alabama 35150



Copeland's Pet Mote l/ Shelter
4457 Halls Mill Road
Mobile, Alabama 36693



Cullman County Humane Society - Animal Shelter
P.O. Box 1354
Cullman, Alabama 35056
256-734-5448



Dale County Humane Society
202-c Hwy 123 South
Ozark, Alabama 36360



De Kalb County SPCA
P.O. Box 653
Fort Payne, Alabama 35967
256-845-9463


Demopolis Animal Dog Pound
809 E. Jackson Street
Demopolis, Alabama 36732
334-289-3879


Dirty Sally's/Pet Pals
2390 Grimsley Road
Gordon, Alabama 36343
334-522-3132


Evergreen Animal Shelter
P.O. Box 229
Evergreen, Alabama 36401
334-578-7217


Friends for Life, Inc.
Rt. 1, Box 100
Gayesville, Alabama 35973
256-422-5224


Friends of Cats & Dogs
3923 Montevallo Road
Birmingham, Alabama 35213
205-879-4574


Greater Birmingham Humane Society
300 Snow Drive
Birmingham, Alabama 35209
205-942-1211


Greater Huntsville Humane Society
2812 Johnson Road
Huntsville, Alabama 35805
256-881-8081


Happy PAWS Haven
59 Granada Road
Arab, Alabama 35016
256-653-1674


The Haven
P.O. Box 1063
Fairhope, Alabama 36533
251-929-3980


Heaven Scent Ferret Rescue/Shelter
#20 Mathews Tr. Pk.
Midland City, Alabama 36350
334-983-9008


Humane Society of Barbour County
P.O. Box 1556
Eufaula, Alabama 36072
334-775-7477


Humane Society of Elmore County
255 Central Plank Road
Wetumpka, Alabama 36092
334-567-3377


Humane Society of Escambia County
2763 South Blvd.
Brewton, Alabama 36426
251-867-6860


Humane Society of Etowah County
1700 Chestnut Street
Gadsden, Alabama 35901
256-547-4846


Humane Society of Morgan County
P.O. Box 250
Somerville, Alabama 35670
256-355-0870


Humane Society of Pike County
Rt. 1, Box 248C
Troy, Alabama 36081



Humane Society of Shelby County
110 McDow Drive
Columbiana, Alabama 35051
205-669-3916


Humane Society of West Alabama
1515 Veterans Memorial Parkway
Tuscaloosa, Alabama 35404
205-554-0011


Huntsville Animal Services
4950 Triana Blvd
Huntsville, Alabama 35805
256-883-3782


Lake Martin Humane Society & Animal Shelter
P.O. Box 634
Alexander City, Alabama 35011
256-234-5533


Lamar County Humane Society
P.O. Box 534
Vernon, Alabama 35592
205-695-6631


Lauderdale County Humane Society
P.O. Box 2276
Florence, Alabama 35030



Lee County Humane Society
1140 Ware Drive
Auburn, Alabama 36832
334-821-3222


Love & Care for God's Animals
RR 2
Florala, Alabama 36442
334-858-7249


Lower Baldwin SPCA
P.O. Box 1195
Foley, Alabama 36536


Metro Animal Shelter, Inc.
3140 35th Street
Tuscaloosa, Alabama 35401
205-752-9101


Metro Humane Shelter
6227 5th Avenue N.
Birmingham, Alabama 35212
205-595-0650


Mobile Animal Shelter
P.O. Box 1827
Mobile, Alabama 36633



Mobile SPCA
620 Ziegler Circle West
Mobile, Alabama 36608
251-633-3531


Monroe County Animal Shelter
2265 Highway 47 S
Monroeville, Alabama 36460
334-575-3427


Montevallo Humane Society
545 Main Street
Montevallo, Alabama 35115
205-665-1264


Montgomery Humane Society
1150 John Overton Drive
Montgomery, Alabama 36110
334-409-0622


Pet Pals, Inc.
2390 Grimsley Road
Gordan, Alabama 36342
334-522-3046


Prichard Animal Shelter
P.O. Box 10427
Prichard, Alabama 10427



Rockin
885 Roy Webb Road
Jacksonville, Alabama 36265
256-435-3849


Russell County Humane Society
P.O. Box 1719
Phenix City, Alabama 368


Sampson's Sanctuary
P.O. Box 1133
Blountsville, Alabama 35031
205-274-2245


Save Our Strays
P.O. Box 43057
Birmingham, Alabama 35243
205-967-6711


Save the Animals
224 West Grand Avenue
Rainbow City, Alabama 35906
256-442-0044


Saving Animals From Euthanasia (S.A.F.E.)
P.O. Box 383
Florala, Alabama 36442
334-858-2955


Scottsboro Animal Shelter
222 Howard Street
Scottsboro, Alabama 35768
256-259-6511


Shelby County Humane Society
381 McDow Road
Columbiana, Alabama 35051
205-669-3916


Shelby County Mobile Adoptions
2652 Valleydale Road
Birmingham, Alabama 35244
205-408-0250


Sheltie Rescue of Birmingham
Birmingham
Birmingham, Alabama 35212
205-681-9210


Southern Furbaby Rescue
320 Hillmoor Lane
Birmingham, Alabama 35209
Phone: 205-540-7147


Southern Shih Tzu Rescue
PO Box 8072
Anniston, Alabama 36202



St. Clair County Humane Society
1605 Cogswell Avenue
Pell City, Alabama 35125
205-467-2493


Sumter County Humane Society
803 4th Avenue
York, Alabama 36925


Talladega City Animal Shelter
621 W. McMillan Street
Talladega, Alabama 35160
256-362-5856


Talladega Humane Society
24840 Alabama Highway 21
Talladega, Alabama 35160



TEARS - The Emergency Animal Rescue Service
226 Glasgow Road
Birmingham, Alabama 35224
205-744-3373


Tuskegee Animal Shelter
Tolbert Circle
Tuskegee, Alabama 35083
334-724-1264


Walker County Humane Society
2302 Birmingham Avenue
Jasper, Alabama 35501
205-221-6621


Weimaraner Rescue of the South
1420 Cresthill Road
Birmingham, Alabama 35213
205-531-2983


West Alabama Animal Rescue
P.O. Box 52
Cottondale, Alabama 35453
205-462-0353


West Jefferson County / Bessemer Humane Society
1230 15th Avenue N
Bessemer, Alabama 35020
205-425-0610


Winston-Marion County Humane Society
P.O. Box 357
Haleyville, Alabama 35565
205-486-2426


Wiregrass Humane Society
P.O. Box 1045
Dothan, Alabama 36302
334-792-6693


Yorkie friends Rescue Corporation
968 Morgan Street
Moulton, Alabama 35650
256-974-9116


Zilla's Fuzzy Friends Ferret Shelter Rescue
6520 Waterworks Road
Birmingham Mount Olive, Alabama 35117
205-585-4171