Laura is top dog for the seventh year.
News release 10030, published on 06 Oct 2021
Basingstoke and Deane Borough Council’s dog warden Laura Yeates has proven that anything is paw-sible by bagging the prestigious RSPCA Gold Stray Dog PawPrint Award for the seventh year in a row.
The award recognises the quality of the service offered by Laura, the environmental health team and the community safety patrol officers in the treatment and welfare of stray dogs, the out-of-hours service and the initiatives and partnership working to promote responsible ownership.
Laura regularly deals with stray dogs and works with a number of re-homing charities to find places for any that are unclaimed. The environmental health team supports the service by dealing with dog welfare issues, dog barking and dog fouling complaints.
Earlier this year, Laura earned praise when she was instrumental in returning 2 Dachshunds stolen from Swadlincote, to their owner after they were discovered in Basingstoke.
She said: “It is an honour to receive this award again because it recognises the hard work of all the council teams involved in animal welfare. It also offers reassurance to the public that any dogs in the council’s care will receive highest standard of care.
“I feel so lucky to be in a position to help the dogs that find themselves without a home in Basingstoke, but I could not do it without the team around me who do so much to help.”
Cabinet Member for Regulatory Services Cllr Hayley Eachus said: “To receive this prestigious award for the seventh year in a row is an amazing achievement and reflects the high standard of the council’s animal welfare service.
“While Laura and the team do a fantastic job, it is important that all dog owners in the borough ensure that their pets are kept safe, are tagged and microchipped, so that they can be returned as quickly as possible if they go astray.”
Dog owners are expected to keep their pets under proper control, are legally required to ensure the animals are microchipped and wear a collar and ID, so they can be reunited if they escape.
Any dog that is dealt with as a stray will incur a release fee, kennelling charge and possibly, an out-of-hours’ fee. Dog owners are also reminded that all dogs over eight weeks old must be microchipped and registered or they risk prosecution and a £500 fine.
For more information go to www.basingstoke.gov.uk/animalresponsibilities
The award recognises the quality of the service offered by Laura, the environmental health team and the community safety patrol officers in the treatment and welfare of stray dogs, the out-of-hours service and the initiatives and partnership working to promote responsible ownership.
Laura regularly deals with stray dogs and works with a number of re-homing charities to find places for any that are unclaimed. The environmental health team supports the service by dealing with dog welfare issues, dog barking and dog fouling complaints.
Earlier this year, Laura earned praise when she was instrumental in returning 2 Dachshunds stolen from Swadlincote, to their owner after they were discovered in Basingstoke.
She said: “It is an honour to receive this award again because it recognises the hard work of all the council teams involved in animal welfare. It also offers reassurance to the public that any dogs in the council’s care will receive highest standard of care.
“I feel so lucky to be in a position to help the dogs that find themselves without a home in Basingstoke, but I could not do it without the team around me who do so much to help.”
Cabinet Member for Regulatory Services Cllr Hayley Eachus said: “To receive this prestigious award for the seventh year in a row is an amazing achievement and reflects the high standard of the council’s animal welfare service.
“While Laura and the team do a fantastic job, it is important that all dog owners in the borough ensure that their pets are kept safe, are tagged and microchipped, so that they can be returned as quickly as possible if they go astray.”
Dog owners are expected to keep their pets under proper control, are legally required to ensure the animals are microchipped and wear a collar and ID, so they can be reunited if they escape.
Any dog that is dealt with as a stray will incur a release fee, kennelling charge and possibly, an out-of-hours’ fee. Dog owners are also reminded that all dogs over eight weeks old must be microchipped and registered or they risk prosecution and a £500 fine.
For more information go to www.basingstoke.gov.uk/animalresponsibilities