The council received the top honour for its dedication to animal welfare, particularly in its animal licensing and stray dog services. The PawPrints Awards, established by the Royal Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (RSPCA) in 2008, celebrate public bodies that demonstrate high standards in animal welfare.
The awards assess services across five categories: stray dog services, housing, contingency planning, animal activity licensing, and kennelling. Havant Borough Council achieved the gold standard, the highest level of recognition, in these assessments.
Councillor Richard Brown, Cabinet Lead for Planning and Regulation, expressed pride in the achievement. He stated, "Achieving the Gold PawPrints Award is a fantastic recognition of the hard work and dedication of our Animal Welfare Officers, who are committed to maintaining high standards of animal welfare across the borough."
Councillor Brown highlighted the teams' efforts in reuniting lost dogs with their owners and ensuring animal-related businesses comply with legal responsibilities. He added, "We are proud that these efforts have been recognised by the RSPCA."
“"From helping reunite lost dogs with their owners to ensuring animal-related businesses meet their legal responsibilities, our teams play an important role in protecting the welfare of animals and supporting responsible ownership. We are proud that these efforts have been recognised by the RSPCA."
Further information on Havant Borough Council's animal welfare services can be found on their official website.
