The RSPCA has commended Housing 21’s commitment to animal welfare with a national PawPrints Award.
Today (Wednesday), Housing 21 was announced as among the winners for the RSPCA’s Silver Award in the Housing category for going above and beyond in its efforts to ensure the welfare of animals living in its Retirement Living and Extra Care properties.
Bruce Moore, Chief Executive of Housing 21, said: “Housing 21 has always recognised the importance of being a pet-friendly organisation as we believe people have the right to choose how they live in their own homes, and this does not change with age. Welcoming pets at Housing 21 hopefully means that residents are not torn between choosing between their animal companion or suitable housing as can often be the case; with us they can have both.
“We know that pets mean so much to many people; they can offer companionship, support and are often a lifeline, providing people with purpose and preventing isolation and loneliness that can be all too common, particularly amongst the older generation. We are delighted to be recognised by the RSPCA for our approach to ensuring the welfare of pets in our properties with the national PawPrints Award.”
The RSPCA’s Housing category “celebrates initiatives that integrate animal welfare considerations into housing policies and practices, fostering environments where pets and people can thrive together”.
To receive the award, Housing 21 had to outline its approach to being a pet-friendly organisation, which includes meeting the terms of its Pet Policy. The policy is designed to ensure the welfare of the animal and its owner, as well as other residents, employees and visitors.
When reviewing requests, consideration is given to the layout and size of the accommodation and the resident’s ability to properly care for the animal. In addition, animals must be suitably housed, fed and kept free of pain/ suffering and a temporary pet carer is nominated to look after the animal(s) if the resident is unavailable.
Megan, an Extra Care resident who lives with her cats, said: "I was delighted to find a lovely place to live, where I could take my cats. I don't have any family, so my cats mean the world to me. We are all very happy living here; it is a very friendly and lovely place to live."
In reviewing the evidence, the RSPCA was also informed of Housing 21’s Helping Hands Fund, which helps residents with a one-off payment of up to £300 if they are faced with an unexpected bill. In the past, residents have applied to this initiative to support with unplanned vet costs of treatment, to support the wellbeing of the animal.
Bruce continues: “As an organisation, we are committed to putting residents at the heart of everything we do and making sure we ‘do the right thing’. This means supporting residents with the things that matter most and quite often, that is their pets.”
The RSPCA PawPrints Awards were founded in 2008 and are the only award dedicated to recognising the outstanding work of organisations and who go above and beyond for animal welfare.
Lee Gingell, Public Affairs Manager at the RSPCA, said: “We’re delighted to recognise Housing 21 with the Silver Award in Housing in this year’s RSPCA PawPrints Awards. Their commitment to animal welfare is truly commendable, and we hope their example inspires others to strive for excellence.”