Residents press Johnstown council to hire dedicated animal control officer

At the Feb. 18 special meeting, residents pressed the Johnstown City Council to establish a dedicated animal control officer position and provide the sheltering and veterinary support needed to make enforcement effective. Charlene Stanton (184 Sell Street) told the council that although ordinances dating to 2005 reference an animal control officer, “the ordinances are meaningless without an animal control officer,” and urged the city to hire a trained professional to handle stray, abused and dangerous animals.

Hannah Richards said the city must first identify the problem and then implement steps to fix it, and noted that money had been allocated in the 2025 and 2026 budgets for animal control but that services had not been provided. Mayor Sylvia King and other council members said they were not closing their eyes to the problem and acknowledged that hiring an officer would require an effective plan that includes housing and veterinary care for animals, not just hiring an individual.

Council member Taylor Clark thanked local volunteers and the Johnstown Animal Welfare Society for filling gaps in service and said the city needs to step up its role. Mark Smoot, a volunteer who said he has experience as an animal control officer in rural Virginia, offered to assist with rescues and described volunteer resources he can provide. The council did not take a formal vote or adopt a directive at the meeting.

Next steps: Council members acknowledged the issue and expressed interest in solutions; no formal action was recorded Feb. 18.