General Information

In September of 1990, the Animal Control Unit, formally a separate county agency was merged with the police department.

Responsibility

The Clayton County Police Department Animal Control Unit is responsible for the enforcement of laws pertaining to animals. The unit also accepts abandoned or orphaned animals from Clayton County residents, which are placed for adoption. The laws fall into two categories, The Official Code of Georgia Annotated (O.C.G.A.) and the Clayton County Code. Clayton County Codes are enforced by the Animal Control Officers.  Animal Control Officers are Civilian employees who are sworn to enforce Clayton County Code. The Animal Control Officers handle the care, pick up and investigations of animals found to be in violation of Clayton County Code. The Felony Animal Cruelty Law is found in the Official Code of Georgia Annotated (O.C.G.A.). Violations of the O.C.G.A. have to be investigated by a P.O.S.T. certified law enforcement officer. Therefore, the Clayton County Police Department has a certified police officer assigned to the Animal Control Unit to investigate violations of animal law found in the Official Code of Georgia Annotated. The Clayton County Police Department, Animal Control Unit does not handle wildlife, or pest control, in or outside of your home. Private companies provide this service for a fee. The only wildlife the unit handles are those animals suspected of having rabies or are a danger to human life.

Animal Care

Stray and owner released animals are housed in a modern, state-of-the-art animal care facility located at 1396 Government Circle, Jonesboro, Georgia. Animals are cared for by compassionate and dedicated staff. Animals are treated with dignity and respect while they are in the care of the Clayton County Police Department.

Adoption Program

Animals that are released by their owners and stray animals that remain unclaimed by their owners are placed up for adoption. Adult animals that are released by their owner are available immediately for adoption. Adult stray animals that remain unclaimed by their owners for three days become Clayton County property and are placed up for adoption. All puppies younger than three months old have to spend five days in quarantine before they are available for adoption. All adopted animals are subject to an adoption fee. The adoption fee includes a bond to ensure that dogs and cats comply with O.C.G.A. 4-14-01, which requires that dogs and cats adopted from public shelters are sterilized. Also included in the adoption fee is a receipt for the first years rabies vaccination. Clayton County Code requires animals to have a yearly rabies vaccination. Failure to have the adopted dog or cat sterilized could lead to criminal prosecution! Dogs or cats which were impounded for bites are not available for adoption. Some animals will be held longer than three days before they are available for adoption. Criminal court cases such as animal cruelty and dog fighting cases may prevent the animal in question from being available for adoption. After the Court has disposed of the case, animals may be available for adoption. Prospective adopting persons must have a Federal or State issued photo identification card. Drivers license and Military Identification cards are acceptable forms of identification. Any person wanting to adopt a fighting breed dog will have to comply with a criminal background check.

Animal Reclaim

Owners wishing to reclaim their animals should provide proof of ownership along with proof of rabies vaccination. If the animal does not have the current rabies vaccination the animal can still be reclaimed, however, additional fees apply. Animals owners are charged a reclaim fee as well as a per-day board fee. As with the adoption, a valid form of identification is required for reclaiming the animals. Some owners may not be able to reclaim their animals due to pending court cases.

Investigations

There are a wide variety of laws regarding animal care and ownership. The most notable violations involve cruelty and animal fighting. Animal Cruelty can take many forms; from intentional, malicious behavior, to mere neglect. Animal Cruelty is covered by laws which differentiate by behavior; felony treatment for intentional malicious behavior towards animals, and, misdemeanor treatment for neglect of animals. There is a strong link between animal violence and violence against people. Many of the most notable serial killers started off by killing and torturing animals. The link is often overlooked by investigators who have no experience dealing with animal issues and animal investigators often overlook the connection between animal violence and human violence. By making Animal Control a part of the Police Department, Clayton County has helped eliminate the missed connection. Often times animal cases turn into cases involving other criminal activity towards humans. If the animals in a household are neglected, children may also be neglected. Cases involving dog fighting have led to other crimes being discovered. Criminal street gangs are very involved in street fighting of dogs. One criminal street gang, the "Fielder Road Gang", was put out of business due to an investigation over a stolen Pit Bull Dog. The investigation led to crimes by the "Fielder Road Gang" to include rape, burglary and an auto theft ring. Please report suspected animal cruelty cases. Your report may lead to other crimes being discovered. Persons reporting animal cruelty are covered by the new Animal Cruelty Law. Persons who report suspected animal cruelty will bear no criminal or civil liability.

Frequently Asked Questions (F.A.Q.'s)

Where is the Animal Control facility located?	We are located at 1396 Government Circle, Jonesboro, Georgia 30236. We are at the corner of Ga. Hwy 138 @ Government Circle. We are behind the Clayton County Police Department Headquarters Building.
How do I turn in my dog?	You must have a valid Federal or State issued identification. You must be a resident of Clayton County and you must have some proof of residency. (Your address on your current drivers license will be good proof of residency.)
How much does it cost to turn in my dog or cat?	There is no cost to the residents of Clayton County.
Will you pick up my dog or cat?	We do not pick up owner released animals. The animal is your responsibility, so if you want to release the animal you have to make arrangements to get the animal to our shelter.
Why is it taking so long for you to get to my call for service?	The Animal Control Unit handles between 50 and 75 calls a day for service. The Unit generally runs two trucks on the road for the entire county. The Unit handles calls based on the priority of the call. An injured animal will take priority over a loose dog. Please understand our dilemma and have patience, we have many more calls for service than we can handle.
My neighbor's dog is keeping me up at night! Can you come over here and shut him up?	We can not come and talk to your neighbor about his dog unless you want to prosecute them for violation of the nuisance animal code. Unfortunately, we do not have the manpower to give warnings, however, if you want to take your neighbor to court, we will issue a citation based on your testimony, and will require your court appearance. A better way to handle the situation is to talk to your neighbor before involving Animal Control. Most people will be considerate of your problem with their animal.
I want you to come and get my cat out of my tree!	Cats that climb trees will come down when they are ready to do so and think they are safe. Any attempt to get the cat down only results in the cat becoming more frightened. Remove any dogs or other animals that might be causing the cat stress. Leave the cat alone and the cat will come down.
Should I report a dog bite?	Yes, you are required to make a report when a dog or cat bites a human.
How do I report Animal Cruelty?	You can call the Animal Control Unit at 770-477-3509, or if it is after normal business hours and you are witnessing the abuse happening, call 911. Other abuse such as neglect can be reported to our voice mail at 770-477-3509. Remember that 911 is for emergencies only!
Can you tell me if my dog or cat is in the pound?	Our policy is that the owners of missing animals must come to the shelter and personally see if their animal is in custody. There are far too many animals in the shelter for staff to verify if your animal is in our custody. Only you or someone who knows the animal can tell if it is here.
Can we bring our animals in to receive veterinary treatment?	No, we are not a humane society. Our duties are the enforcement of laws pertaining to animals. There are resources offered by private agencies, however, we provide no such care at our facility.
I called Animal Control, and the dog I called about is still here in my yard!?	You have to understand that we have no way of making a dog come to us. A dog can run about 25 mph, a man can run about 8 mph. If the dog runs from the officer, they may not be able to catch it. We do offer live traps to capture dogs and cats. Persons can request a trap, however, the supply is limited. If you know the owners of the animal, we can have an officer respond to issue the owner a citation based on your statement. This action will require your appearance in court to testify about the violation. If you can catch the dog and place it in a fenced yard or other enclosure, that would help assist us in catching the dog. Do not attempt to catch the dog if you are not familiar with the dog or if the dog is known to be aggressive.
Will you come out and pick up a cat?	We can not catch cats. We offer cat traps for persons to use. The cats are brought to the shelter by the person trapping the cat. We loan the traps for a week at a time. We have limited traps available, so call in advance to see if a trap is available.

If you have further questions about the
Clayton County Police Department, Animal Control Unit, contact:

Captain Mark Thompson at 770-477-3509