Animal Services

The Effingham County Sheriff's Office takes an active approach to humanely enforce County Ordinances and State Laws as they pertain to domestic animals and the public's health, safety and welfare.

• The Effingham County Sheriff's Office Humane Enforcement Deputies are Effingham Counties first Nationally Certified Animal Control Officers.
• The Effingham County Humane Enforcement Deputies respond to animal issues county-wide. Deputies respond to all calls involving domestic animals and wildlife.
• Humane Enforcement Deputies respond to weekend calls on an emergency basis only.

Update as of 04/02/2026:

Sheriff McDuffie and The Effingham County Sheriff’s Office has implemented a new policy in reference to day-to-day business regarding humane enforcement.

Soon, the Effingham Animal Shelter will be expanding its current kennels.  The construction will place operational constraints on staff at the shelter and will impact the number of kennels available at any given time.  Please keep in mind, the animal shelter and the Effingham County Sheriff’s Office are NOT one in the same.

The animal shelter is operated by Lorna Shelton (her contact information is below).

The Effingham County Humane Enforcement is a unit within the Effingham County Sheriff’s Office.  The Effingham County Sheriff’s Office, Rincon, Springfield, and Guyton Police Departments are responsible for responding to calls for service regarding animal complaints.  

If the determination is made for the animal to be picked up and placed in the shelter, this is done by the Effingham County Humane Enforcement.  The shelter will attempt to scan the animal for a microchip and post the animal on their Facebook page in an attempt to reunite the animal with the owner.  The shelter has a three-day policy on retaining stray dogs/animals before a decision is made on the fate of the animal by the Animal Shelter Director, Lorna Shelton.

Effingham County Animal Shelter business information:

Monday/Wednesday/Friday- 10:30am until 4:30pm

Tuesday/Thursday- 1:00pm until 4:30pm

Address: 307 GA-119, Springfield, Ga 31329

Office phone: (912)754-2109

Lorna Shelton cell: (912)663-2087

Facebook: Effingham County Animal Shelter

Email: LShelton@effinghamcounty.org

animalshelter@effinghamcounty.org

Website: http://www.effinghamcounty.org/.../Animal-Protection...