Forest of Dean Street Wardens win Gold RSPCA award for 10th year in a row
The Forest of Dean District Council’s Street Warden team has won a gold ‘RSPCA PawPrints: Stray Dog Services Award’ for the 10th year running. In addition to this, the team was also awarded a bronze Contingency Planning Award.
The award is given to public service bodies and organisations to recognise their hard work in delivering animal welfare services. It marks the 10th consecutive time that the team has won this award, highlighting their hard work to find and re-home stray dogs in the district.
Councillor Mark Topping, Leader of the Council, said:
“We have a brilliant team of street wardens working here at the Forest of Dean and this award highlights that. They work relentlessly to keep the district tidy and safe whilst protecting the welfare of animals.
“The fact that this is their tenth Gold-standard award is testament of their hard work and dedication. I would like to thank the team and also give a special thanks to Forest of Dean Dog Rescue who work closely with them to deliver this service.”
The Forest of Dean District Council Street Warden Team is made up of four officers, who work across the whole district. As well as their work with stray dogs through their dog warden service, the team also investigate animal welfare concerns, deal with anti-social behaviour, environmental crime and remove abandoned vehicles.
The team also engages proactively with the community through initiatives such as drug awareness presentations at local schools and visits to vulnerable groups, including elderly people living in remote areas.
They work closely with partners at Forest of Dean Dog Rescue, who take on and re-home stray dogs who are sadly not collected.
Community Safety Lead at Forest of Dean District Council, Damion Collins said:
“This award demonstrates the Forest of Dean District Council’s commitment to the welfare of animals across the district.
“I must thank Forest of Dean Dog Rescue for their continued support in re-homing unclaimed stray dogs and offering further support to the public through the current cost of living crisis.”
For more information on the PawPrints awards, visit: https://politicalanimal.rspca.org.uk/england/pawprints