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 our facility located at 1396 Government Circle, Jonesboro, Georgia and our Adoption Center facility located at 3161 Anvil Block Road, Ellenwood, 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.

Animal Reclaim
Owners wishing to reclaim their animals should provide proof of ownership along with proof of rabies vaccination and proof of sterilization. If the animal does not have the current rabies vaccination or proof of sterilization, 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. 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. Animals must be provided fresh water and food daily, adequate shelter, current shots yearly and can only be tethered with the use of a �Trolley� or �Runner� system. If a neighbor is not providing all of the above, this constitutes as �Prohibited Treatment� which is a county ordinance violation.

Current Information
We at Clayton County Police Animal Control have formed a very strong working relationship with pet rescue groups and the Clayton County Humane Society in our attempts to reduce the euthanasia rates of animals that come into our shelter.