The City of Dawson Creek has approved plans to end its municipal animal control services later this year, citing rising costs and long-term financial concerns.
At a May 11 council meeting, city officials voted to end their service agreement with the BC SPCA, with changes set to take effect December 1, 2026.
Until then, animal control services will continue to operate as usual, with no immediate changes for residents.
City staff say the decision follows several years of reviews and financial analysis that found the current service model was becoming increasingly difficult to sustain.
The cost of maintaining the agreement has risen over time, placing pressure on the city’s operating budget
Council also explored alternative options, including bringing the service in-house, but determined those approaches were not financially or operationally viable.
The city estimates the move will reduce municipal costs by about $300,000 annually after accounting for related revenues.
Beginning December 1, the city will no longer respond to several types of calls, including animal noise complaints, stray animal enforcement, non-emergency dog bite incidents and other general animal control requests.
Instead, residents will be directed to different agencies depending on the situation. Animal welfare concerns such as injured or neglected animals will continue to fall under the BC SPCA, while dangerous or life-threatening situations will be handled through emergency services.
Wildlife concerns will be referred to the provincial conservation office, and deceased animals on city property will be handled by Dawson Creek Public Works.
Mayor Darcy Dober says the decision was not made lightly. “We recognize that animal control services matter to many people in our community, and this was a very difficult decision,” said Dober.
The city says it plans to provide updates throughout the year to help residents understand how services will change and who to contact moving forward.
“Council had to carefully balance community expectations with long-term financial responsibility,” added Dober
No changes will take place before December 1.