Police chief updates Rye Beach Committee on dog‑ordinance enforcement and Animal Control staffing

Police Chief Scott Blaisdell told the Rye Beach Committee on Aug. 3 that the town's animal control program has expanded as call volume rose. He reported Animal Control Officer Kacie Solaris has worked with the Police Department since 2022, that the ACO position became full time in 2024, and that the officer works four 10‑hour shifts per week with staggered hours to match seasonal needs.

Chief Blaisdell said police officers respond to animal control calls when the ACO is off duty and that, during the summer season, the ACO focuses most of her time on the beaches. Since the beginning of 2026, the ACO has written thirty summonses for dog violations, which the chief described as an increase from recent years. The committee reviewed the Dog Ordinance: dogs are prohibited on town beaches daily from 9 a.m. to 7 p.m. beginning the Saturday before Memorial Day through the Saturday after Labor Day (an exception applies in the stretch between Wallis Sands State Park and Odiorne State Park, with night‑time closures), owners face a $62 fine for beach violations, and a $50 fine applies for failure to pick up dog waste. The full ordinance is posted on the town website.