Guildford Borough Council wins Platinum at the RSPCA PawPrints Awards 2025
The awards celebrate local authorities, public bodies and partners that go the extra mile to protect and promote animal welfare in their area.
The awards are judged across five categories:
- stray dog services
- animal activity licensing
- housing policy
- contingency/emergency planning
- kennelled dog welfare.
Platinum is awarded to organisations that have earned Gold in one category for five or more years in a row.
Lead Councillor for Regulatory Services, Cllr Merel Rehorst-Smith, says:
"This award reflects the outstanding commitment of our Licensing team, who put animal welfare at the heart of everything they do. We're proud to work alongside our community and the RSPCA to ensure animals in our borough are safe, cared for and respected.
"The PawPrints Awards are not just about recognition - they're about raising the bar for animal welfare everywhere, and we're delighted to play our part. We inspect licensed businesses regularly to make sure they meet the required high standards of care, and we encourage local people to report unlicensed businesses to us. By working together, we can continue to build kinder communities where people and animals can thrive."
It's important that residents, as animal owners, are aware of the animal activities that must be licensed. These include:
- boarding dogs in your home
- providing day care for dogs
- boarding dogs in kennels
- boarding cats
- selling animals as pets
- breeding dogs
- hiring out horses
- keeping a zoo
- keeping a dangerous wild animal (defined by a Schedule in the Act)
- keeping, or training animals for exhibition.
Lee Gingell, Public Affairs Manager at the RSPCA, says: "We're delighted to recognise Guildford Borough Council with the Platinum award in this year's RSPCA PawPrints Awards. Their commitment to animal welfare is truly commendable, and we hope their example inspires others to strive for excellence."
Visit our website for information on animal licensing.
For more information on the PawPrints Awards, visit the RSPCA website.