City of Coalinga Outlines Strategic Plan to Strengthen Animal Control Services
Coalinga, CA — August 20, 2025 — The City of Coalinga is taking important steps to enhance its animal control and sheltering services to better meet the needs of residents, improve public safety, and ensure the humane treatment of animals in the community.
As Coalinga grows, so do the challenges associated with animal control. While Gimme Love Animal Shelter has been a valuable partner in providing care for stray, injured, and abandoned animals, the City recognizes that its involvement must increase to fully address the community’s needs.
Under California law and the City’s municipal code, the City has a duty to protect public health and safety, which includes addressing animal-related issues in a proactive, organized, and effective way. To meet this responsibility, the City is moving forward with developing a detailed and well-planned program that will:
• Operate a full-time animal shelter at the new City-owned facility once construction is complete and occupancy is approved.
• Increase staffing and resources dedicated to animal control.
• Develop stronger enforcement tools and set clear community expectations regarding licensing, vaccinations, humane treatment, responsible pet ownership, and penalties for non-compliance.
• Establish partnerships with local and regional organizations to support adoptions, spay/neuter programs, and vaccination services.
The City emphasizes that this transition will be gradual and collaborative. The current agreement with Gimme Love remains in place while the City develops its expanded program.
“This is not about ending the important work Gimme Love does,” said City Manager Sean Brewer. “It’s about ensuring the City has the capacity and resources to directly address the public safety challenges related to animal control. We believe this can be a cooperative effort that benefits the entire community.”
The City’s goal is to create a more complete and sustainable approach to animal control that protects both residents and animals. As the program is developed, the City will share updates and opportunities for community input during public meetings.
Sean Brewer, City Manager
Coalinga Press 