RSPCA PawPrints Awards for Hounslow Animal Welfare Team
Gold for stray dog services, kennelling and in housing and licensing categories
Animal Welfare team with Cllr Siddhu, Rupert and Gracie
September 5, 2024
Hounslow Council’s Animal Welfare Team has won gold four times in the RSPCAs PawPrint awards.
Every year the charity recognises outstanding practices in the local public sector across five categories: stray dog services, animal activity licensing, housing, contingency planning, and kennelling.
Hounslow’s team has achieved the top award in the stray dog and kennelling categories for the last four years. The former covers the care of stray dogs and promotion of responsible ownership and the latter aims to ensure the highest welfare standards in kennelling facilities.
This year its entries in the Housing and Licensing categories also gained gold. The housing category assesses pet-friendly housing policies and support for responsible pet ownership among tenants whilst the licensing category considers whether standards in animal welfare through strong enforcement and compliance in licensable activities.
The RSPCA PawPrints Awards is the only scheme of its kind. It celebrates local authorities and public bodies for their work in animal welfare across England and Wales.
Hounslow Council’s Animal Welfare team is staffed by experienced dog owners who care for abandoned dogs. In recent years, Hounslow Council has secured retirement homes for elderly dogs such as Buster, a 16-year-old abandoned Staffy.
The council’s Animal Welfare team also rehomes highly driven dogs like Dutch Herder Ranger who now works as a search dog at ports on the south coast. The team also cares for many little dogs like Elton. Terrified, having just lost everything he’d ever known, Elton simply shutdown. The team put in many hours earning his trust and getting Elton ready for rehoming.
In addition to being walked twice daily, Hounslow dogs have toys, games and activities to tire them out. These include sensory stimulation such as scent work training and mystery boxes. Where treats are buried in materials with different textures and smells.
Elton (left) was terrified when he was found by the team and Ranger (right) now has a job guarding ports
The council also licences kennels, catteries, dog breeders, pet shops, exhibitors, and even zoos making sure they all meet high welfare standards. The Animal Welfare team advises council tenants and distributes muzzles required by law, to lower income families.
Lee Gingell, public affairs manager at the RSPCA, said: "We are thrilled to recognise Hounslow Council with its four Golds, in this year's RSPCA PawPrints Awards.
“Their commitment to animal welfare is truly commendable and reflects the high standards that the PawPrints awards aim to celebrate. By winning this award, Hounslow Council has demonstrated outstanding dedication to protecting, promoting and enhancing animal welfare, and we hope their achievements inspire others to strive for excellence in this vital area."
Cllr Raghwinder Siddhu, Cabinet Member for Public Safety, Regulatory Services and Enforcement said, "We are proud of our team's inspirational work and grateful for this recognition from the RSPCA.
“Our Animal welfare team is truly dedicated to the health and happiness of abandoned dogs in Hounslow. Much credit is due to them personally, for their success in rehoming stray dogs.
“This award highlights our ongoing efforts to deliver world-class animal welfare services. It underscores our continuous efforts to provide exceptional animal welfare services.”
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