Basingstoke are 'top dogs' when it comes to animal welfare
The council receives recognition from RSPCA
Animals and lost dogs in the borough receive the best possible care according to the RSPCA after it awarded PawPrint Awards to the council’s stray dog service and licensing team.
The prestigious gold award, awarded to Basingstoke and Deane Borough Council’s stray dog service for the ninth year in a row, recognises the council’s dog warden service, environmental health team and Community Safety Patrol Officers for the treatment and welfare of stray dogs, the out-of-hours service and partnership working to promote responsible ownership.
In addition, the council’s licensing team has won its first ever Silver Pawprint Award for its animal activity licensing service that provides licences to businesses delivering services such as animal breeding and boarding and also makes sure that they comply with animal welfare regulations.
Basingstoke and Deane Borough Council’s Cabinet Member for Residents’ Services and Housing Cllr Laura James said:
“We strive to deliver the best services for our residents and these awards demonstrate that our high standards have been recognised by the RSPCA.
“Our dog warden and the other teams who provide this vital service do a fantastic job and these awards are a direct result of their hard work and commitment.
“We can all help to keep our dogs safe by ensuring that they are microchipped with up-to-date owner details and wear tags detailing owner contact details so that if they get lost they can be returned home as soon as possible.
“It is also vital that when buying a puppy, we check the breeder’s licence and observe the puppy with their mother, as well as the mother’s relationship with the breeder. In doing this, we can help prevent the suffering of any animals in the future.”
Stray dogs will incur a release fee, kennelling charge and possibly an out-of-hours call out fee. Dog owners are reminded that all dogs must be microchipped and registered, otherwise their owners could be prosecuted and face fines of up to £500.
For more information, visit www.basingstoke.gov.uk/animalresponsibilities