The animal welfare team at Winchester City Council has achieved a rare pair of awards from the RSPCA. 

The animal protection charity has awarded Platinum PawPrints, one level above the previous highest award of gold, to the council for both stray dog services and animal activity licensing. 

This award is presented to organisations that received Gold PawPrints for five or more years consecutively. 

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Winchester City Council is one of three councils in England and Wales to achieve platinum status for animal activity licensing, alongside Westminster and the City of London. 

The PawPrints Awards will be presented at a ceremony in November. 

Cllr Jackie Porter, cabinet member for place and the local plan, said: “This is an outstanding achievement for our animal welfare team, and it is wonderful to see their exemplary work recognised in such a way by the RSPCA. 

“It is especially impressive that the council’s team is one of only a handful to have achieved a platinum status for animal activity licencing in the inaugural year of the award. Well done to our dog wardens Dave and Ross, and the rest of the team.”