By David Wiwchar

SPCA couldn't afford $75,000 loss

City cuts end SPCA contract

Mar 9, 2026 | 9:24 AM

After 65 years, the Alberni SPCA is no longer taking in stray dogs and cats after the city hired a Duncan based company to do the work.

SPCA Regional Manager Leon Davis said the City had provided $157,000 annually for the past 20 years for picking up strays or nuisance animals – a service he says costs $300,000 and was subsidized by other SPCA grants and donations.

“There’s certainly a great need for animal control in Port Alberni,” he said. “There is a high number of stray dogs and cat that come in. We took in about 253 last year.”

This year, the city cut their animal control budget to $82,000 and opened the contract for bidding according to Interim City Manager Andrew McGifford.

“We went through an RFP process for anybody who would like to make a submission to provide this service to the City of Port Alberni,” he said. “We had one applicant and that applicant was the successful proponent from Duncan, and they are going to provide the service for the city moving forward.”

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The SPCA said they couldn’t afford the cutback, but will continue to take in surrendered animals and conduct animal cruelty investigations, with other services now handled by Coastal Animal Services.

3 SPCA staff positions were affected by the change