For the last five years the RSPCA has been working closely with registered social landlords (RSLs) in both England and Wales, to review and update their policies, to tackle the problem of irresponsible pet ownership which can create a range of issues from anti-social behaviour to animal welfare and cruelty.
In 2008 the RSPCA established the Community Animal Welfare Footprints (CAWF), a scheme to celebrate, promote and reward the work of local authorities and housing providers in a number of service areas that have an impact on animal welfare, one of which is housing.
Within three years participation in the scheme has more than doubled in size with the Society receiving over 140 applications from 103 different organisation in 2010, compared with 67 from 49 in 2008.
27 local authorities and housing providers achieved housing footprints, including some of the biggest social landlords in England such as Affinity Sutton, Peabody and London Borough of Wandsworth.
The size and quality of entries enabled the RSPCA in 2010 to showcase some of the best practice out there in the CAWF Housing Good Practice Guide.
The guide aims to help housing providers to consider certain things when reviewing their pet policies and ensure that they are positive, enforceable and well-enforced to encourage responsible pet ownership to become the norm, not the exception.
The case studies provide real life examples and contacts that other organisations are already using as templates to develop their own policies.