PUBLIC services in the county have been showing they are “for every kind” by working in close partnership with the RSPCA to improve their animal welfare standards throughout the year – and now those who have excelled have been recognised and celebrated as community heroes as part of the RSPCA’s one-of-a-kind PawPrints Awards scheme, which first launched in 2008.
PawPrints works with councils, emergency services, vets and other public-sector individuals, teams and organisations to recognise and celebrate those who surpass legal standards and raise the bar in animal welfare.
More than 100 awards were handed out as part of the trailblazing scheme, with around 30 presented at a glittering awards ceremony in Leeds last week (13 Nov), where public bodies came together to share their achievements and discuss how to go even further for animals.
The awards span three categories: Core Awards, recognising councils and public bodies delivering key frontline services such as stray dog provision, licensing, housing, emergency planning and kennelling; Hero Awards, spotlighting organisations and individuals tackling specific animal welfare challenges; and Special Awards, celebrating individuals, teams, and partnerships whose exceptional work goes above and beyond.
In total, 109 awards were awarded across all three categories. Within the Core Awards, 99 awards were presented to 66 organisations. This includes 46 Platinum-level awards, given to those achieving Gold for five or more consecutive years, and a further 36 Gold-level awards.
Lee Gingell, RSPCA Public Affairs Manager, said: “It’s really important to highlight the incredible efforts we know so many go to for animals and we are thrilled to recognise so many outstanding organisations in Essex for their pioneering work. It’s vital to celebrate the fantastic efforts being made to improve the lives of animals wherever possible.
Despite challenging circumstances, councils, housing providers, emergency planners and other public bodies are finding innovative ways to protect, promote and improve animal welfare in their communities. Their commitment not only delivers real benefits for animals and people, but also serves as an inspiration to others.
“Seeing so many people who love animals come together in one room, to celebrate their achievements but also to talk about what more we can do to protect animals in the future, made for such a special event and the RSPCA is so proud to help champion their incredible work.”
This year also saw the launch of five Hero Award categories – Care Act Hero, Public Awareness Hero, Mental Wellbeing Hero, Fireworks Action Hero and Responsible Ownership Hero – shining a light on organisations and individuals tackling some of the most pressing animal welfare challenges. Charlotte Williams from Colchester City Council was celebrated as a Responsible Ownership Hero for her commitment to strengthening animal activity licensing in the city and her dedication to supporting colleagues across the wider Essex area.
Through her proactive guidance and collaborative approach, she impressed judges in the way she has helped raise compliance, improve consistency and ensure licensed activities place animal welfare first. Charlotte has also championed tools such as the Paws on the Doors scheme to help residents recognise high-quality, welfare-focused businesses, reinforcing good practice in the sector. Her hands-on support, professionalism and passion for animal welfare have made her a trusted resource for partners and a driving force behind higher standards for animals and the communities they serve.
Charlotte said: “I’m so thrilled to have been honoured with a Responsible Ownership Hero Award for my animal activity licensing work at the RSPCA PawPrints Awards this year. The PawPrints Awards are not just about recognition – they’re about raising the bar for animal welfare, and I’m delighted to have played my part in that alongside my team.
“It was incredibly special to meet so many like-minded animal lovers at the ceremony and have so many interesting discussions about how we can all work together to keep on being a voice for the animals who so desperately need our help – events like this really highlight our shared responsibility to build kinder communities, where people and animals can thrive together.
“We’re always so proud to work alongside the RSPCA to ensure animals in our community are safe, cared for and respected.”
Colchester City Council also scooped a Silver award for Licensing, while elsewhere in the county Tendring District Council won Gold for Licensing and Silver for Housing; Maldon District Council won Gold for Licensing; and Brentwood Borough Council, Castle Point Borough Counciland Thurrock Council all won Silver for Licensing.
This year’s awards were sponsored by Animal Friends Insurance, Pet Insurer of the Year 2024/25, and a multi-award-winning company that provides exceptional pet insurance as well as championing animal welfare, to create a better life for every animal.
Richard Mills, CEO at Animal Friends Insurance, said: “We were truly honoured to be the
headline sponsor for this year’s PawPrints Awards. It’s so aligned with who we are, recognising people who are doing real work at the sharp end of the pet world and really making life better for every animal, and that’s what we’re here for as well – Animal Friends was created to bring more kindness and compassion into the lives of all animals, no matter their size, species or home.
“Supporting positive change in animal welfare and conservation is at the very heart of what we do, so it feels incredibly meaningful to champion the only awards scheme devoted to celebrating the extraordinary dedication of local public sector organisations and individuals who give so much for animal welfare. What I love about the PawPrints Awards is it gives people recognition in jobs that you might not think would receive that recognition – it really sets a standard for people to aspire to and excel in and the ones that benefit most from that are animals – what’s not to love about that?
“It was truly a pleasure to have worked with the RSPCA on these awards, to meet so many talented people at the event and hear so many success stories.”
Charlotte Ashburner, CMO at Animal Friends Insurance, added: “It means so much to be a part of the PawPrints Awards – it’s so important to recognise and say thank you to people who work tirelessly to help animal welfare.
“I loved being in a room with so many animal-crazy people – we’re all on the same page, all excited and inspired by the same things – together we’re stronger, and we can achieve more for animals when we support each other.”
PawPrints is endorsed by the Chartered Institute of Environmental Health, the Local Government Animal Welfare Group, the Chartered Trading Standards Institute, the Institute of Licensing and the All-Party Parliamentary Group for Animal Welfare.
Lee added: “The public sector plays a vital role in improving 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.”
