MECHANICSBURG, Pa. — Kelly Griffin has lived in York her entire life, but a few months ago she decided it was time for a change. So, she moved to Mechanicsburg.
“I came up to this town, we love it here and it’s a beautiful community, it’s a beautiful house and we really just want to be able to enjoy it," Griffin said.
They said the strong dog smell coming from the Nestlé Purina factory, less than a mile from their house, makes enjoying it difficult.
“There’s been days that it is so oppressive," she said. "Like I can’t even go out to my car to get something because it comes through the cracks of the window," Griffin said.
And she's not the only one in the community who feels something should be done.
"It’s just overwhelming," Cheyenne Presto said. "It’s uncomfortable. I can’t even open my windows."
They said it happens on random days and times.
Griffin decided to reach out to the local community for advice and after some discussion. she decided to start a petition to have Nestlé Purina reduce the odor coming from their factory in Mechanicsburg.
“We acknowledge a problem, why don’t we try to fix it or at least bring it to somebody’s attention?" she said.
However, others in the community don’t see the point of this petition.
“The bottom line is: if you don’t like where you live, move," Greg Platzer said.
Greg Platzer has lived in Mechanicsburg for over 20 years and he said the company is not obligated to spend millions of dollars just because a small group of people don’t like the smell of the factory.
“It’s never unpleasant to the point that I’m like 'Omg,'" Platzer said. "It just smells like dog food, big deal."
Purina Nestlé provided FOX43 with a statement saying in part:
“Making pet food does create aromas, which is why Purina’s Mechanicsburg factory is equipped with environmental systems to control cooking odors. Throughout our process, we continuously explore ways to enhance our ability to minimize these cooking aromas. Nestlé Purina Pet Care is a proud member of the Mechanicsburg community and is committed to being a responsible neighbor. We welcome the feedback and want to hear from any members of the community who have concerns to share.”
The petition has just over 200 signatures, with a goal of 500.