The Animal Services Shelter is
"The Best Place to Find Your Best Friend"

The Animal Services Shelter is located at:
925 South 25th Street
Abilene, Texas 79602
approximately 2 blocks East of Treadaway Blvd, directly behind the Taylor County Jail and directly West of the Juvenile Justice Center.

The Abilene Animal Shelter and Adoption Center moved to its present location in 1975. The Shelter has 77 dog kennels divided into 3 wings. 19 pens are designated for puppies in the Puppy Wing. The East and West wings each have 29 kennels for adult dogs. There are 36 cages in the Cat Room for housing adult cats and kittens. The Shelter also has a sick bay for ill animals and a quarantine wing for housing potentially infectious or vicious animals.
Animal Services maintains 3 vehicles specifically designed for the safe and humane capture and transport of animals. A 4th vehicle is used primarily for the delivery of traps to citizens and the transport of trapped animals to the Shelter.

There are currently 13 employees assigned to Animal Services, including 6 certified field officers, 3 shelter attendants, and 4 other personnel with multiple functions.

In 1999, Animal Services began to utilize the injection method for euthanasia.  All officers are trained and certified by the HSUS to perform this method.  In 2001, the city’s Animal Ordinance was changed to expand and clarify the vicious animal aspects of the ordinances.  In 2004, provisions concerning abuse, neglect and welfare were added to the ordinances.  In March, 2005, the Animal Services Program became a function of the newly created Community Enhancement Division of the City of Abilene’s Planning and Development Department.

In 2005, the Animal Services Program became a function of Community Enhancement, a Division of the City of Abilene’s Planning and Development Department.

• Dog or Cat bites with Human Exposure and broken skin
• Stray animals that are sick or injured
• Loose livestock
• Dead animals that are a traffic hazard only
• Wild animals in homes
• Poisonous snakes in homes
• Dogs attacking other animals
• Owner arrested with an animal in the vehicle
• Skunks out in daylight hours only

Note: Any other calls received by the Animal Services Officer on-call will be screened by the on-call Officer and the on-call Officer will determine if it needs a response, or forwarded to the Animal Services office for response the next business day.

Animal Services will not respond to the following Non-Emergency Calls:

• Loose Pit Bulls (they are treated like other dogs)
• Owned Animals that are sick or injured (these are the responsibility of the owner)
• Owned animals that are in their own yards that needs food, water, shelter, or veterinary care
• Loose dogs with mange, foaming a the mouth, emaciated, tick infested or any other condition that is not life threatening
• Dead animals on streets that are not a traffic hazard, small deal animals, in streets (not main thoroughfares), or dead animals in streets in either early/late hours of the day or during time of light or no traffic
• Barking dogs
• Sightings of skunks or other nocturnal animals out at night

Note: These calls are considered Non-Emergency and will not be Responded to by the on-call Animal Services Officer at Night or on the weekend. The on-call Animal Services Officer will determine which of these type calls, if any need

To be referred to the Animals Services office the next Business day. Animal Services follows these policies so they are not out on a Non-Emergency call when an Emergency Call comes in and are, therefore, are not Available to handle the emergency when needed