Stray dogs award for council

Pembrokeshire County Council has won an award for its treatment of stray dogs for the sixth consecutive year. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

The Authority has been given a Silver award in RSPCA Cymru’s Community Animal Welfare Footprint scheme that recognises the commitment and achievement of Local Authorities, contingency planners and housing providers in improving and delivering animal welfare. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

The Council provides a collection service for stray dogs within office hours with a drop-off facility by prior arrangement with the boarding kennels in Trecwn. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

Attempts are always made to return stray dogs – picked up by the Council’s three dog wardens – to their owners provided that adequate information is carried on the dog by way of a collar, tag or microchip. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

For over a year the dog wardens have been successfully using social media to reunite lost dogs with their owners, posting pictures of the pets on Facebook and Twitter. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

Paul Smith, public affairs manager for RSPCA Cymru, said: “It is fantastic that for the sixth year in a row that the Pembrokeshire team have been recognised for the fantastic work that they do in tackling stray dogs but maximising the animal welfare of the dogs they pick up. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

“With the compulsory microchipping of dogs coming in on the 6th April, the Dog Warden team have gone above and beyond in ensuring local dogs are microchipped over a number of years in partnership with animal charities. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

“The RSPCA Community Animal Welfare Footprints acknowledge and recognise services which are too often undervalued as there is so much fantastic work that is undertaken in Wales in relation to animal welfare.” ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

The Council’s Cabinet Member for Environmental and Regulatory Services, Councillor Huw George, said: “The award from the RSPCA takes into account the training of staff; veterinary provision for sick animals; record keeping and re-homing policies relating to dogs that have been kept at the kennels in excess of the statutory limit of seven days.” ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

Caption
Dog warden Sally Bland and chairman of the Environment, Overview and Scrutiny Committee Councillor Brian Hall are pictured alongside RSPCA public affairs manager Paul Smith who is presenting the award to principal environmental health officer Tom Hayes. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​