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Resident urges Smithfield to adopt kennel and dog‑limit rules, calls for stronger animal‑control enforcement
Summary
A resident told the council she believes unregulated kennels and multiple dogs in a residential area amount to neglect and urged the town to adopt a dog‑limit and kennel permitting requirements. She said town animal control attempted to enforce but lacked ordinance authority; county animal control agreed a kennel law would be appropriate.
During the citizen‑comments portion of the Town of Smithfield council meeting, resident Lindsay Bean urged the town to adopt a dog‑limit ordinance and stronger kennel rules after reporting persistent, long‑term kenneling of dogs at a nearby property on Swift Creek Road.
Bean said she contacted town animal control since last September and was told enforcement of a kennel law was attempted but that the ordinance had not been passed; she also said county animal control supports a kennel law and dog limits. Bean described animals that she said were confined in kennels for weeks or months without regular exercise or veterinary care and said the situation raised concerns about animal welfare and neighborhood impacts.
No council action was taken at the meeting; council members and staff listened to the concerns and referred enforcement questions to town and county animal control staff for follow‑up.
Why it matters: The resident’s complaint highlights a gap between community expectations about animal care and the town’s existing ordinance/enforcement capacity. Council members and staff did not propose an immediate ordinance change at the meeting but the topic may prompt staff review of existing animal control regulations and enforcement options.
