June 4, 2026 – The Macon County Animal Control and Care Center will celebrate its 20th anniversary with a community birthday party on Saturday, June 27, from noon to 4 p.m. at the shelter, 2820 E. Parkway Drive in Decatur.
The family-friendly event will feature a food truck offering $5 meals, door prizes, face painting, balloon animals and reduced-fee pet adoptions. Dogs and cats will be available for adoption for $20 with an approved application.
The celebration marks two decades since the current shelter facility opened in 2006. The center traces its roots back much further, however. Animal control services in Macon County date to 1951, when the county’s original animal facility opened. Community efforts to improve animal welfare led to the formation of the Decatur and Macon County Animal Shelter Foundation in 1999, helping pave the way for construction of the modern shelter that serves the county today.
Operating under the Macon County Sheriff’s Office, the Animal Control and Care Center serves as the county’s only open-admission shelter, accepting animals regardless of age, breed, health condition or temperament. In addition to adoption services, the facility investigates animal cruelty and neglect cases and works to reunite lost pets with their owners.
Over the past 20 years, the shelter has expanded and improved its facilities through community support, adding enhanced housing and enrichment areas for dogs and cats while continuing its mission of caring for homeless animals throughout Macon County.
Organizers say the anniversary event is an opportunity to celebrate the shelter’s history, recognize supporters and volunteers, and highlight the importance of pet adoption and animal welfare in the community.
The event is open to the public.
