City says move will save $300,000 annually...
Animal lovers in Dawson Creek, B.C., are worried about the fate of lost or abandoned pets after city council decided to eliminate animal control services.
Many are upset the decision was made behind closed doors without public input.
The city announced it will end its contract with the South Peace SPCA on Dec. 1, 2026, and won’t replace it with in-house services or another provider.
This means no municipal response to animal noise complaints, stray animal pickup, non-emergency dog bite incidents, excessive animal issues, or other animal control requests, and dog licences will no longer be issued.
While other B.C. communities like Prince George and Port Alberni have ended SPCA contracts but found new providers, cutting services entirely is rare for a city of Dawson Creek’s size. Animal welfare groups, including the B.C. SPCA and local rescues, say the move leaves a major gap and will overwhelm already stretched shelters.
"It is a detrimental decision for animals in the community and the people who help them," said Paige Loomis, president of the On Our Way Home rescue in the city via a Facebook message.
She said without city-funded services, already strained shelters like hers would be overrun.
"We are expecting this decision to affect our rescue tremendously," she wrote.
Currently, the city funds two animal control officers and a shelter through the South Peace SPCA, but those services will disappear once the contract ends.
-with files from Andrew Kurjata/CBC
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