A new sniff patrol may soon be making the rounds in Ogden, Utah, in a bid to scrub the city free of offensive odours.

John Patterson, Ogden's chief administrator, said the council will hold a public hearing to determine whether an odour committee should be brought into existence.

He noted that while the city isn't targeting one company, people have complained about smells coming from American Nutrition, a local pet-food factory.

"Stench is not the lasting memory that we want people to have in Ogden," he said.

Patterson noted that the smells coming from the factory may have deterred prospective businesses from settling in the area.

The city is also considering punishing companies that refuse to change their practices with fines of up to $500 US.