The B.C. SPCA said Dawson Creek could face significant public safety and animal welfare challenges after the city’s municipal animal control agreement ends later this year.
Beginning December. 1, the City of Dawson Creek will no longer contract the BC SPCA to provide municipal animal control services. The decision follows council’s move to end the agreement and begin repealing the city’s Animal Responsibility Bylaw.
In a July 20 letter to Mayor Darcy Dober and council, the BC SPCA outlined a number of services that will no longer be available once the contract expires.
The organization said it will no longer enforce municipal animal bylaws, respond to complaints about aggressive or stray dogs, issue bylaw tickets, remove deceased animals or accept stray pets brought in by police, bylaw officers or members of the public.
The change will also affect operations at the BC SPCA South Peace Community Animal Centre, where the organization says municipal animal control accounts for roughly 63 per cent of the animals it cares for.
“It is important to note that our animal control contracts are operated on a cost recovery basis only, and funds raised in Dawson Creek cover ~12% of our local annual operating costs,” wrote Shoni Field, the BC SPCA’s chief public engagement and advancement officer.
“The operation of the BC SPCA South Peace Community Animal Centre is heavily subsidized by donations from non-residents. We are not in a position to increase that subsidy as it would harm our operations in other communities across the province.”
The B.C. SPCA also raised concerns about repealing the Animal Responsibility Bylaw, saying it establishes minimum standards for responsible pet ownership, including requirements related to shelter, tethering and animal care.re.
Without those regulations, the organization said Dawson Creek could become more attractive to people seeking to avoid enforcement in neighbouring communities.
“Municipalities without animal control bylaws can become known as a ‘safe haven’ for people who neglect, abuse, and amass large quantities of animals,” the BC SPCA wrote.
“People facing enforcement in one municipality have been known to move to another that has fewer regulatory bylaws.”
The organization also expressed concern about the timing of the change, noting the contract will end at the beginning of winter, when stray animals face harsher weather conditions.
It said the absence of municipal animal control could leave residents without a clear process for dealing with stray or aggressive animals.
“Individual residents [could be left] to determine on their own whether to ignore, assist, or dispose of a found, stray, aggressive or high-risk animal,” the letter states.
The BC SPCA also said repealing the bylaw could have unintended impacts on other municipal regulations.
While Dawson Creek’s zoning bylaw permits activities such as keeping backyard hens, beekeeping and kennels, the operational standards governing those activities are contained in the Animal Responsibility Bylaw. Without those rules, the organization said there could be increased concerns related to roaming livestock, excessive numbers of animals, noise complaints and animal hoarding.
The B.C. SPCA urged the city to clearly explain how animal-related complaints and public safety issues will be handled after Nov. 30.
“While the BC SPCA respects Council’s authority to determine local service priorities on behalf of the community, we believe residents will benefit from clarity on how concerns involving stray animals, dangerous dogs, nuisance complaints, and minimum standards of animal care will be addressed after November 30, 2026,” Field wrote.
Vista Radio News reached out to Mayor Darcy Dober for comment on the city’s plans for animal control after the contract ends. Dober declined to comment.
