Newtown-based Mid Wales Housing Association has received a Community Animal Welfare Footprint (CAWF) Award at the RSPCA Cymru Awards ceremony.
The RSPCA Cymru event rewarded local authorities and organisations across Wales for going the extra mile for animal welfare.
This year 16 organisations were presented with 19 CAWF awards - with seven winning a gold award, the most that have been given out at one time.
The CAWF award scheme is split into a number of categories - with entrants from Wales gaining recognition for their stray dog provision, animal activity licensing work, contingency planning and housing policies. There are bronze, silver and gold standards in each.
Mid Wales Housing’s Community Housing Team received a bronze Housing Footprint award for the introduction of a pets policy, which fully considers the welfare of the animal, including the suitability of the property for the animal, with a clearly defined process for residents to follow, which forms part of their occupancy agreement.
Advice and guidance, also produced by the team, has followed the RSPCA’s good practice guide.
Jean O’Neill, Acting Director of Customer Services at Mid-Wales Housing said, “I am delighted to accept this award on behalf of the team, as recognition of the hard work which has taken place.
"Mid-Wales Housing’s policy and procedures seek to strike a balance between the pleasure that animal ownership can bring, against the possible nuisance that irresponsible ownership can cause."
RSPCA Cymru’s public affairs manager, Paul Smith, said: “We were delighted that so many winners were able to attend the event, to congratulate them for all their hard work and dedication in improving animal welfare in their roles across Wales, and get the recognition that they deserve.
During the event the Welsh Government Cabinet Secretary Lesley Griffiths announced that a consultation will be launched in the new year on a ban on the third-party sale of puppies and kittens.
The consultation will look to gather evidence on what stage the Welsh Government should intervene in large-scale breeding premises and address concerns about animal welfare.
Photo: Paul Baxter, RSPCA (left) and Jean O’Neill Acting Director of Customer Services at Mid Wales Housing with Lesley Griffiths, Welsh Government Cabinet Secretary
