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Portsmouth City Council’s stray dog kennels last night collected a gold award from the RSPCA for their contribution to animal welfare. The RSPCA gives awards as part of its Community Animal Welfare Footprints (CAWF) scheme, which rewards organisations which go above and beyond legal requirements to achieve higher animal welfare standards. The kennels won a gold Stray Dog Footprint award because they provide extra services, including an out-of-hours service and micro-chipping, and regularly work to encourage responsible pet ownership. Cllr Donna Jones, Leader of the Council, accepted the award at a ceremony in the RICS building in Parliament Square, London, with Cllr Robert New, Cabinet Member for Environment and Community Safety, Roy Goulding, manager responsible for the kennels, and Carol Plumbly, lead kennels assistant. Penny Mordaunt, MP for Portsmouth North, congratulated the team. Cllr New said: “I’m very proud that the council’s kennels team have won this award, which recognises their hard work and their achievement of the highest standards. “They go beyond the call of duty, looking after dogs that have strayed or have been abandoned, often after being badly treated. They’re dedicated to returning them to their owners or finding them new, caring homes. “Unfortunately, at this time of year dogs are often bought as gifts and then abandoned because the owners find them too much trouble. We need people to remember the old saying that a dog is for life, not just for Christmas.” Rachel Williams, senior parliamentary advisor for the RSPCA said: “Receiving a CAWF award is a major achievement for any organisation or local authority. “The Footprints are the only awards that recognise the hard work of local authorities, social housing providers and public sector bodies, so it is great to be able to recognise and reward the hard work that organisations do to improve animal welfare.” Residents interested in re-homing a dog can email dog.kennels@portsmouthcc.gov.uk or leave a message on the re-homing line: 023 9268 8091.