PawPrint Award 2026 winners

Wiltshire Council's Dog Warden team has received national recognition from the RSPCA through the 2026 PawPrints Awards, which celebrate organisations that go above and beyond to support animal welfare and responsible pet ownership.

The team has retained its Platinum PawPrint Award for Stray Dog Services for a second consecutive year, the highest level of achievement available and a distinction awarded after five consecutive years of achieving Gold standard.

It has also received the 2026 Hero Award for Public Awareness, Behaviour and Change, celebrating the success of the Leave Only Pawprints campaign, and was shortlisted as a finalist in the Innovator Award category for the Dog Friendly Wiltshire Directory.

Presented annually by the RSPCA, the PawPrints Awards highlight the work of local authorities, public bodies and their partners to improve, protect and promote animal welfare through local public services.

The awards reflect the broad range of work carried out by Wiltshire Council's Dog Control team, including stray dog services, animal welfare, education and awareness campaigns, partnership working and community engagement initiatives. The service supports residents and animals across more than 1,300 square miles, delivering everything from frontline enforcement and welfare work to innovative campaigns promoting responsible dog ownership.

The team also works closely with partners including Bath Cats and Dogs Home, Wiltshire Police and the RSPCA to support animal welfare, respond to incidents involving dogs and help achieve positive outcomes for animals across the county.

One of the projects recognised was the Leave Only Pawprints campaign, which invited children aged five to 14 to create artwork encouraging people to clean up after their dogs. More than 60 designs were submitted and over 1,000 public votes were cast before the winning artwork was installed in parks and green spaces across Wiltshire, creating visible reminders that promote responsible dog ownership. 

The Dog Friendly Wiltshire Directory, which was shortlisted for the Innovator Award, was developed to help residents and visitors identify dog-friendly venues and businesses across the county. Since launching in November 2025, more than 300 businesses have joined, with QR-coded window stickers helping businesses make their welcome visible. The free directory helps dog owners identify venues where dogs are welcome and plan responsible outings that take their pets' welfare needs into account.

The team's wider work also includes regular engagement with schoolchildren through the Junior Good Citizen programme, partnership work with animal welfare organisations and supporting residents through the council's stray dog service.

The awards were presented at the RSPCA PawPrints Awards ceremony in Cardiff on 11 November. 

In recognising the council’s achievements, a spokesperson from the RSPCA said: "I am delighted to congratulate Wiltshire Council on a Special Award finalist place, a Hero Award and retained Platinum recognition in this year's RSPCA PawPrints Awards.