Protect Birmingham's Future Animal Healing Campus and the Public's Right to Be Heard on June 9th!

You may remember Simon.

When the Greater Birmingham Humane Society found him Easter Sunday of 2020, he was hairless, starving, and wandering the streets after years of neglect. Most people looked away. We didn't.

Months of medical care, patience, and love later, Simon became the healthy, happy, deeply loved dog he is today.

That is what GBHS has done for 143 years.

Since 1883, the Greater Birmingham Humane Society has been the place animals go when they have nowhere else to turn. Every year, tens of thousands of abused, injured, neglected, abandoned, and homeless animals come through our doors seeking safety, healing, and a second chance.

That is why we are speaking out today.

A 300-megawatt hyperscale AI factory has been proposed approximately 1,200 feet from GBHS's future animal healing campus in Oxmoor Valley.

This is not a neighborhood business or office building. It is one of the largest industrial projects ever proposed in this part of Birmingham.

GBHS has spent years planning and building a first-of-its-kind medical-model animal care campus designed to serve injured, abused, neglected, and homeless animals from across our community. It was created to be a place of healing, safety, recovery, and lifesaving care.

A facility of this size raises serious questions about noise, heat, water demand, electrical infrastructure, light pollution, traffic, and long-term impacts on the surrounding community.

Animals recovering from trauma, surgery, illness, abuse, or neglect need calm. They need stability. They need an environment built for healing.

We have repeatedly asked a simple question:

What independent studies demonstrate that a facility of this scale will not negatively affect the animals entrusted to our care?

To date, we have not received an answer.

No one has shared independent studies or environmental impact assessments. Just their word.

This is not about opposing technology.

It is about whether Birmingham should allow a project of this size next to homes, schools, organizations for children and adults with special needs, churches, hospitals, and an animal healing campus, without meaningful public review and independent analysis.

And right now, the Birmingham City Council is asking you to make that easier.

On June 9, at 9:00 am, the Birmingham City Council will consider proposed zoning ordinance ZAC2026-00001. The ordinance would move hyperscale data centers from a Special Exception process to "Permitted with Conditions," removing an important project-specific public hearing process that currently allows citizens to be heard before projects of this scale move forward.

We believe Birmingham residents deserve a voice.

We believe vulnerable animals deserve protection.

And we believe major industrial projects should be evaluated openly, transparently, and with the best available science before decisions are made.

We cannot afford to discover years from now that this facility harmed the animals we exist to protect, the people who care for them, or the community that helped build this vision.

Protect vulnerable animals. Preserve the public's right to be heard.

The public hearing is on June 9th at 9:00 am at City Hall.

Please sign this petition, share it with everyone who loves animals, and, if you can, join us at City Council to be heard in person.

Simon got a second chance because someone chose to care.

Today, we are asking Birmingham to do the same.

Stand with Simon.

Stand with the tens of thousands of animals that will come through our doors in the years ahead.

Stand with the families, donors, volunteers, and community members who helped bring this vision to life.

Say yes to the animals.

Say yes to transparency.

Say yes to public accountability.

And say no to placing a 300-megawatt AI factory next to where vulnerable animals heal without answers, independent review, and meaningful safeguards.

For 143 years, GBHS has spoken for animals that could not speak for themselves.

Today, we are asking you to stand with them.

For media inquiries, contact marketing@gbhs.org.