‘Community heroes’ celebrated by RSPCA PawPrints Awards 2026
The RSPCA has presented 113 awards across three categories.
The RSPCA has announced the winners and nominees for this year’s PawPrints Awards scheme.
This year’s criteria recognised councils, emergency services, veterinary professionals and others in the public sector which had gone beyond expectations to promote early intervention and responsible pet ownership.
The charity has presented 113 awards across three overall categories. This incorporates its core awards, ‘special awards’ for exceptional dedication, and three ‘hero’ categories.
PawPrints Awards’ core category celebrates public bodies delivering stray dog services, licensing, housing services, contingency planning and kennelling. There were gold, silver and bronze awards available in each category, with a platinum award presented to organisations achieving five consecutive gold awards.
This year, the RSPCA awarded 99 commendations to 69 organisations through its core awards category. This included 46 Platinum awards and a further 41 Gold awards.
Lee Gingell, RSPCA Public Affairs Manager, said: “With around 46 entries earning the prestigious Platinum-level award - reserved for those who have achieved Gold-level for five or more consecutive years - it’s evident that local authorities in England and Wales are deeply committed to animal welfare. This is something we are incredibly proud to honour through these awards.”
The charity’s three hero categories, awarded based on the year’s prevention theme, are: the Responsible Pet Ownership Hero, the Public Awareness and Behaviour Change Campaign Hero, and the Prevention Hero.
The Responsible Pet Ownership Hero Award went to Pembrokeshire County Council for its Responsible Pet Ownership initiative. Alongside partners, the council produces a coordinated service so that tenants receive clear ownership expectations, early Dog Warden visits, welfare assessments and pet contingency planning.
The Public Awareness, Education and Behaviour Change Hero Award goes to Wiltshire Council for its Leave Only Pawprints campaign. This initiative invited children aged five to 14 to create positive messages encouraging owners to clean up after their dogs.
The Prevention Hero Award celebrated the Keeping Pets and People Together partnership. The partnership united Newcastle University with a number of charities, as it sought to prevent people experiencing homelessness from being separated from their pets.
Although the nominees have been announced for PawPrints’ special awards, the winners of many of these are due to be announced at the official awards ceremony in Cardiff in November.
However, the Massingham Advocacy Award winner has been announced as Peredur Owen Griffiths MS of Plaid Cymru. The RSPCA says this recognises his work for animal welfare since his election in 2021, which has included a campaign to end greyhound racing.
Lee Gingell added: “The public sector plays a crucial role in raising animal welfare standards - and year on year, we’re so proud of the part the PawPrints scheme plays in inspiring the improvement of standards. This commitment from public bodies has changed the lives of countless pets, wildlife, livestock and other animals, and yet this vital work often goes unheard - which is why we’re so thrilled to celebrate it now.”
Image © RSPCA
Veterinary practices are being urged to help owners safely dispose of any unused and expired pet medicines - not just antibiotics - during November's Animal Medicines Amnesty. 
