Humane Shelter

This article explains how residents can adopt from, work with, and support the Autauga County AL Humane Shelter through the Prattville/Autauga Humane Society and county public safety partners. You’ll find operating hours, adoption fees, what to bring, how lost and found pets are handled, when surrender is considered, and the ways fostering and volunteering keep the system running smoothly. It’s written for residents in Prattville and the broader Autauga County area who want clear, practical guidance grounded in official local information.

Understand the Role of the Autauga County AL Humane Shelter in Our Community

The Autauga County AL Humane Shelter—operated locally through the Prattville/Autauga Humane Society (PAHS)—serves as the county’s hands-on shelter and adoption center. Located at 1009 Reuben Road in Prattville, the shelter is open Monday through Saturday from 11:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. and closed on Sundays. The shelter’s mission is straightforward: provide safe, temporary housing and care for homeless cats and dogs while working to match each animal with a responsible, permanent home. Staff and volunteers also promote spay/neuter awareness and healthy relationships between people and their companion animals.

The shelter partners with municipal animal control officers who bring in stray and at-risk animals, and it accepts owner surrenders by appointment when other options are exhausted. Every adopted pet receives core services—microchipping, age- and law-appropriate vaccinations, deworming, and spay/neuter (or scheduling)—plus a courtesy veterinary exam through participating offices. These measures ensure animals leave the shelter healthier, safer, and traceable, improving public safety and reunification if a pet is ever lost.

To explore programs, hours, and contact details in one place, start with the Prattville/Autauga Humane Society homepage at the shelter’s official site: Shelter information and contacts.

Navigate the Adoption Journey with Confidence

Adopting a pet is exciting, but it’s also a commitment of time, care, and finances. The shelter’s process is designed to create lifetime matches by helping adopters evaluate their households, schedules, and budgets, and by counseling on the pet’s temperament and care needs.

Review Local Adoption Requirements and Fees

The shelter outlines expectations clearly so adopters can prepare in advance:

Adoption fee for cats: $75
Adoption fee for dogs: $120

These fees contribute to microchipping and microchip registration, age-appropriate vaccinations as required by law, deworming, discounted spay/neuter services (or scheduling), and a courtesy veterinary exam through participating offices. Fees help offset medical and basic care provided before adoption and support responsible pet ownership from day one.

For a step-by-step overview of eligibility, paperwork, and what to expect at meet-and-greets, consult local adoption guidance: How to adopt in Autauga County.

Prepare for Your Shelter Visit

Residents considering adoption should plan a focused visit during operating hours (Monday–Saturday, 11:00 a.m.–4:00 p.m.). To make the most of your time:

Bring a valid ID and be ready to discuss your living situation (renting, home ownership, yard setup, fencing, and landlord pet policies if applicable).

Think about your schedule—work hours, family commitments, travel, and your daily routine for exercise and enrichment.

Plan safe transport for your new dog or cat (a secure leash and collar for dogs, a carrier for cats and small dogs).

Be ready for a conversation about temperament, training needs, other household pets, and any special accommodations the animal may require.

Shelter staff aim to make a match that fits the animal and the adopter. If a particular pet seems like a stretch for your lifestyle, trust the guidance you receive—sometimes a different dog or cat will be a far better fit and lead to a happier outcome for everyone.

Strengthen Public Safety by Knowing Who to Call

Humane shelter operations in Autauga County are closely tied to public safety and animal control. When you encounter an animal-related issue that extends beyond a simple adoption or shelter inquiry, contact the correct agency quickly.

For formal animal control matters within the county—such as enforcement questions or coordination with county officers—use the county’s official page for Animal Control: Autauga County Animal Control contact.

For community safety information and to understand broader public safety responsibilities, you can also reference a local overview of the Sheriff’s Office at this site: Sheriff’s Office information page.

These official points of contact complement the shelter’s daily functions and ensure that public safety, enforcement, and humane care move in step.

Reuniting Families: What to Do If You Lose a Pet in Autauga County

No one plans to lose a pet, but acting quickly and methodically makes a real difference. The shelter provides practical guidance built on everyday reunification experience:

Act Immediately and Methodically

File a lost pet report with the shelter during open hours (11:00 a.m.–4:00 p.m., Monday–Saturday).

Visit local shelters in person. Not every intake appears online right away, and face-to-face visits let you scan kennels, talk to staff, and leave a photo and description.

Verify microchip registration. If your pet has a microchip, ensure the phone number and email are current so calls connect to you, not an old number.

Create simple, high-visibility flyers with a current photo, your contact number, and the area last seen. Post them where neighbors actually look—intersections, building lobbies, and community boards (where permitted).

Walk the area more than once at different times of day; many pets stay near their last known location and respond to a familiar voice or routine.

For a structured checklist you can follow, see the shelter’s official guidance: Lost a pet—local steps to take.

Why Frequent Shelter Checks Matter

Animals often arrive at different times, sometimes after they’ve been wandering for days. Your pet’s appearance may change—dusty coats, burrs, flea dirt, weight loss—so staff may not immediately connect an intake to your flyer. Daily, in-person checks help you catch new arrivals and correct any mistaken assumptions based on photos alone.

Microchips, Collars, and ID Tags

The shelter’s prevention advice is simple and effective: keep collars and current ID tags on your pets, and microchip every dog and cat. Microchips are not GPS devices, but they provide a permanent, scannable link to you. Keeping your contact information current is the single best step you can take to speed a reunion.

Found a Pet? Follow Local Best Practices to Reunite Quickly

If you find a dog or cat in Autauga County, assume first that the animal may be a beloved pet. Often, the animal is found within a very short distance of home. The shelter recommends concentrating your search and outreach close to the location where the pet was found, especially in the first 24–48 hours.

Start with Identification and Immediate Local Outreach

Check for tags and a phone number; call immediately if present.

Ask neighbors on the same street and adjoining blocks. Many reunions happen within a few doors of where the pet was found.

Have a vet clinic scan for a microchip; this is a quick, critical step if the animal has no tags.

Keep the Pet Nearby When Safe to Do So

The shelter notes that many healthy, friendly animals are quickly reunited when they remain close to where they were found. If it’s safe and you can provide temporary care, this approach minimizes stress, avoids unnecessary shelter intake, and maximizes the chance that the owner will locate the pet quickly. If you’re unsure, call the shelter during open hours for guidance and to file a found animal report.

Community Cats and Ear-Tipping

If the cat you found appears healthy, confident outdoors, and has a small portion of one ear cleanly removed (an ear-tip), the shelter explains that this marks a sterilized, vaccinated community cat. Ear-tipping is performed under anesthesia by a veterinarian as part of a trap-neuter-vaccinate-return (TNVR) program. Healthy, ear-tipped community cats can remain where they are; moving them often disrupts established care and territory and does not improve outcomes.

For an official, local decision tree and scenario-based guidance (dog, cat, ear-tipped cat, kittens), refer to the shelter’s page: Found a pet—local reunification steps.

When Surrender Is Considered: Work the Alternatives First

Shelter capacity is finite. To protect outcomes for both your pet and animals already in care, the shelter encourages owners to call and discuss options before surrendering. Many owners discover workable solutions after a short consultation.

Try These Shelter-Backed Options Before Surrender

Behavior and training help: Many challenges are fixable with consistent routines, basic obedience, and enrichment. Ask the shelter for locally appropriate steps you can start immediately.

Medical planning: Some veterinary offices may offer a courtesy exam or payment plans; talk to your vet early to understand options.

Short-term care: When the primary issue is a brief schedule crunch, boarding or day care may bridge the gap.

If you’ve truly exhausted options and reside in Autauga County or the City of Prattville, the shelter accepts relinquishment by appointment. Appointment availability depends on current capacity. Call during open hours to discuss eligibility and scheduling. Note that shelters cannot guarantee outcomes for surrendered pets, especially when space is limited.

Foster Homes: The Pressure Valve That Saves Lives

Foster families are a cornerstone of humane sheltering in Autauga County. By caring for animals outside the shelter for a few weeks or months, fosters create space on the adoption floor and give animals—especially fragile cases—the calm, individualized attention they need.

What Foster Families Provide

Safe, loving housing for a defined period—often a few weeks.

Transport to and from the shelter for checkups and adoption events.

Daily care—feeding, administering routine medications if needed, gentle socialization, and observation of health or behavior changes.

Which Animals Need Fostering Most

Puppies and kittens too young for adoption.

Nursing moms with litters who need quiet recovery time.

Pets recovering from surgery or medical treatment, including dogs undergoing heartworm therapy.

Animals needing social confidence, where a calm home setting works better than a busy kennel.

Ready to step in? Submit a foster application and review expectations at the shelter’s official page: Become a foster caregiver.

Volunteer Power: Multiply the Shelter’s Impact

Every clean kennel, socialized dog, and gently brushed cat signals the work of volunteers. The shelter highlights many ways residents can plug in—even a few hours a week has a measurable effect on adoption readiness and morale.

Where Volunteers Make the Biggest Difference

Animal care and socialization: Walking dogs, playing with cats, basic enrichment, and grooming.

Adoption support: Greeting visitors, sharing each pet’s story, and helping with meet-and-greets.

Cleaning and setup: Laundry, dishes, litter pans, kennel prep, and event equipment.

Education and events: Tabling, outreach, and community engagement that promotes responsible ownership.

To learn how to apply, submit your form, and get matched with tasks that fit your skills and schedule, visit: Volunteer with the shelter.

Daily Prevention Habits That Keep Pets Safe at Home

The most humane outcome is preventing loss, injury, and shelter intake in the first place. The shelter’s prevention guidance focuses on simple, repeatable habits:

Collars and current ID tags at all times, even for indoor-only pets that could slip out.

Microchips with current contact details; update phone and email whenever they change.

Secure leashes, harnesses, and fences; check gates and fence lines for gaps or climbable objects.

Fixed (spayed/neutered) pets are less likely to roam.

Indoor living for cats or protected outdoor spaces like catios.

Training recall (“come”) and “stay” to interrupt chasing or bolting behavior.

A recent photo of each pet on your phone in case you need to create a flyer quickly.

For a locally grounded checklist you can act on today, review: Lost pet prevention tips.

Visiting the Shelter: Timing, Etiquette, and Expectations

Because the shelter is open Monday through Saturday from 11:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m., aim to arrive with enough time to meet animals, speak with staff, and complete paperwork if you find a match. The environment can be lively; keeping noise and foot traffic calm helps animals present their best selves. If you’re bringing children, establish quiet voices and gentle-touch rules before you enter to keep the visit positive and safe for everyone.

If you’re meeting a dog and have another dog at home, talk with staff about a controlled, on-site introduction when appropriate. For cats, discuss your household setup—other cats or dogs, litter box placement, quiet rooms for decompression—and ask about gradual introduction plans.

Community Coordination: How Shelter Work Aligns with County Services

The humane shelter is one piece of a larger county framework that includes law enforcement and public health. Knowing how shelter work intersects with county functions helps residents choose the right point of contact:

Animal control coordination: County animal control officers bring strays and at-risk animals to the shelter and handle enforcement questions. For formal matters related to county animal control, rely on the official Animal Control page maintained by the county: County animal control details.

Public safety: For issues involving bites, aggressive animals, or urgent safety concerns, the Sheriff’s Office coordinates public safety responses. For an overview of the office’s role and contact pathways, see: Sheriff’s Office local overview.

By directing enforcement and public safety questions to the right county channels while the shelter focuses on care and placement, residents help keep responses swift, consistent, and effective.

Adoption Day Logistics: What Happens After You Say “Yes”

Once approved, adopters complete paperwork and receive information about the pet’s microchip, vaccination history, deworming, and spay/neuter status or appointment. Plan for the first 72 hours at home:

Set up a quiet space with bed, water, food, and (for cats) litter boxes.

Limit new stimuli; give your pet time to explore gradually and settle.

Establish a routine—regular meals, walks, and bedtime. Predictability builds trust quickly.

Schedule follow-up veterinary care as advised, and keep the microchip information with your household records.

If questions arise, the shelter encourages you to reach out during open hours. Communication is the foundation of a successful placement.

How to Help Without Adopting: Practical Support That Matters

Not every household can bring home a pet, but there are still ways to help:

Short-term fostering during peak intake periods or while an animal recovers from surgery.

Volunteering in cleaning, enrichment, and adoption support roles.

Spreading the word about adoptable pets to friends and neighbors who are ready for the commitment.

Following shelter guidance when you find a pet—keeping the animal nearby and canvassing the immediate area before transferring to the shelter.

Each action lightens the load on the shelter and improves outcomes for animals already in care.

Where to Find Official Shelter and County Information Online

Use official, locally relevant sources to guide your decisions and get help. The links below connect you with the shelter’s core guidance and county-level animal control information:

Prattville/Autauga Humane Society official site
How to adopt—local requirements and fees
Become a foster caregiver
Volunteer with the shelter
Lost a pet—local steps to take
Found a pet—local reunification steps
Autauga County Animal Control contact
Sheriff’s Office information page

Departments and Offices (Addresses and Phone Numbers)

Prattville/Autauga Humane Society — 1009 Reuben Road, Prattville, AL 36066 — (334) 358-2882

Autauga County Sheriff’s Office — 162 West 4th Street, Prattville, AL 36067 — (334) 361-2500

Autauga County Humane Shelter FAQs

How does adoption work and what do fees include?

Adopters at the Autauga County AL Humane Shelter complete a short process designed to create lasting matches. Current fees are $75 for cats and $120 for dogs, which cover a microchip with registration, age- and law-appropriate vaccinations, deworming, and a discounted spay/neuter or scheduling, plus a courtesy veterinary exam at participating offices. For steps, eligibility, and what to bring, see “How to Adopt” on the official site: How to Adopt.

I lost my pet in Autauga County—what should I do first?

Submit a lost pet report with the shelter, then check local shelters in person every day since not all new intakes appear online immediately. Confirm your pet’s microchip details are current so staff can reach you quickly. The shelter outlines a clear checklist and daily search tips here: Lost a Pet.

I found a dog or cat—what’s the shelter-recommended next step?

Start near the find location: check for ID, talk with nearby neighbors, and have a vet scan for a microchip. Many pets are reunited close to home. File a found animal report with the shelter; after reasonable efforts (commonly two weeks), unclaimed pets may be rehomed. Healthy ear-tipped cats indicate TNVR (sterilized and vaccinated) and can remain in place. Guidance by scenario is available at Found a Pet.

How do fostering and volunteering support outcomes?

Foster homes relieve kennel pressure and care for pets such as puppies/kittens, nursing moms, or animals recovering from medical treatment—typically for a few weeks to a few months—while providing transport to the shelter when needed. If you’re ready to help create space and speed adoptions, start here: Foster.