Dacorum Borough Council achieves gold award for animal welfare services

Dacorum Borough Council has once again achieved gold standard in the annual RSPCA PawPrints awards.

Both the Environmental Community Protection Animal Welfare service and the Housing teams were recognised for good practice, exceeding basic and statutory service requirements with the aim of achieving higher animal welfare standards.

Since 2008, the RSPCA’s PawPrints Awards has been the only scheme recognising good practice from local authorities in relation to animal welfare.

The teams excelled in two areas:

Stray Dogs Footprint

The main aim of this footprint is to set a level of good practice for stray dog provision by acknowledging local authority services that have mechanisms and policies to ensure dog welfare, provide staff training, and promote responsible dog ownership.

It also aims to encourage local authorities to look at this important and often undervalued service and address any resource and service issues that may help them to meet the footprint criteria in the future.

Housing Footprint

This footprint recognises housing providers who take positive steps to encourage and ensure responsible pet ownership in the properties they manage, and to recognise others that are doing so.

In addition, the footprint aims to encourage a considered pets-in-housing policy that is not simply a ‘knee-jerk’ response to problems that have arisen through a weak pet policy or tensions created by an anti-social minority.

Cllr Julie Banks, portfolio holder for community and regulatory services said: “We are so honoured to have achieved this recognition from the RSPCA Gold PawPrints Awards scheme.

"It’s an amazing achievement and reflects the high standard of the council’s animal welfare service.

"To achieve the gold standard yet again is testament to their dedication and I congratulate all involved.”

The council's Animal Welfare team can assist with any concerns relating to neglect or abuse of any animal, including dogs, cats, horses, small household pets, exotics and wildlife.

Any concerns for the welfare of an animal can be reported directly to the team by emailing [email protected] or calling 01442 228455.