UPDATE 8/4/26: The City Council decided to table this issue. They will hold a committee meeting on 8/25 and possibly discuss this again at their 9/1 meeting. Special thanks to Bill and Sally Trufant from B & B Pet Stop, and Anna Bush, President of Friends of Mobile Animal Shelter, for being local residents who spoke at the meeting.
The Mobile City Council has proposed a new animal ordinance. Local stakeholders should engage in the process and monitor this issue. While no broad ban is proposed, there could be serious implications for animal owners, especially those who do animal outreach. This is scheduled to be discussed at the August 4 City Council meeting.
Among the potential problems, all snakes, non-domesticated animals, and some dog breeds and mixes will be labeled as “high-risk animals.” High-risk animals will not be banned, but they must be “under physical restraint” at all times. This means that they must be “controlled by a physical leash, chain, cord, or similar means.” If an educator takes a corn snake or tortoise (as all reptiles are non-domesticated) to a program, that animal needs to be on a leash or similar device per the proposed language. Those reptiles (and all other non-domesticated animals) also could not be held by any children. While likely an oversight, this poses a problem.
- High-risk animal: Any animal that has any prior incident of biting or attacking another person or animal. Any exotic species such as a monkey, snake, ferret, or other non-domesticated cat or animal. Any dog classified as a breed that is frequently restricted by insurance companies for policy coverage, including specifically Doberman Pinschers, Pit Bulls or American Bull Terriers, Rottweilers, Chow Chows, Wolf Dogs, Wolf Hybrids, Presa Canario (Canary Dog), Akitas, or any mix thereof containing a significant part of the above breeds.
- It shall be unlawful for the owner, keeper, or person in charge of any high-risk animal to fail to keep the high-risk animal under physical restraint at all times whether or not the animal is upon or away from the owner’s premises. Any person found guilty of a violation of this section may be punished by a fine up to $100 and assessed court costs for a first offense, and a fine up to $500 and assessed court costs for any subsequent violation.
- Under physical restraint: Humanely controlled by a physical leash, chain, cord, or similar means in the hands of a responsible person or humanely confined within a wall, fence, vehicle or other enclosure in such a manner to prevent it from escaping. Under physical restraint does not include the use of voice commands or electronic devices.
Read the full proposal at https://usark.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/08/26-mobile-al.pdf.
Meeting details: Tuesday, August 4, 2026, at 10:30 AM – Auditorium, Government Plaza, 205 Government Street, Mobile, AL 36644
Sample Message (Be civil and professional!)
Email list: council5@cityofmobile.org, council1@cityofmobile.org, council2@cityofmobile.org, council3@cityofmobile.org, council4@cityofmobile.org, council7@cityofmobile.org, council6@cityofmobile.org, spiro@cityofmobile.gov, cityclerk@cityofmobile.gov
Get Council member information at https://www.cityofmobile.gov/government/city-council/.
Mayor Spiro and City Council Members,
I am a Mobile resident and responsible animal owner. I appreciate your work to update and improve our city’s animal ordinance to protect our local residents and visitors, as well as the animals. I have some concerns regarding the physical restraint requirements for “high-risk animals.” The term high-risk animals includes all snakes and all non-domesticated animals. This would include many completely harmless species that could never be considered high-risk. Small tortoises, harmless lizards, and thousands of other species would be included under this new term. All of these species must have physical restraints, such as leashes, when used in educational outreach programs, including those held in school auditoriums and public libraries. This requirement is unnecessary for public safety for many of the species that would be covered and could actually cause problems.
Please work with local animal educators or experts to amend this section of the proposal. I believe this is an oversight and not the intent, but please address the matter. Thank you and have a good day.
