Council shortlisted for RSPCA PawPrints Award
Westmorland and Furness Council’s Environmental Health Team have been shortlisted for the inaugural Withnall Partnership Award at this year’s prestigious RSPCA PawPrints Awards.
The team were nominated for their pioneering partnership work with the RSPCA in support of animal welfare at Appleby Horse Fair. The nomination is particularly poignant as the Withnall Partnership Award commemorates the service of former RSPCA Inspector Kirsty Withnall who worked with partner organisations at the fair over many years.
In 2024, recognising long-standing delays in RSPCA-led animal welfare interventions due to statutory restrictions under the Animal Welfare Act (2006), Westmorland and Furness Council’s Environmental Health Team developed and implemented a pioneering initiative to delegate authority to qualified RSPCA officers, empowering them to act autonomously where animal welfare concerns were identified.
This operational and legal innovation represented a national first. Its success - measured by faster response times, reduced animal suffering, and freed-up police and council resources - led to the programme being expanded for the 2025 Fair where the RSPCA conducted 372 interventions, issued 18 warnings, and treated 14 horses who were safely returned to their owners.
In total, the newly delegated powers were used nine times in 2025 - each a potential turning point for an animal in distress.
The benefits extended to operational capacity as police officers were no longer required to be re-tasked from other critical duties, the council’s Public Protection staff could focus on broader environmental and public health issues and the RSPCA was able to devote more resources to education, outreach, and preventative engagement with Fairgoers.
Importantly, these changes were made with the active involvement and support of the Gypsy and Traveller communities. Interventions remained respectful, proportionate, and clearly explained - helping to strengthen long-term relationships.
And a broader effort, including the presence of animal welfare organisations and charities such as Redwings, World Horse Welfare, Bransby Horses, the Mare and Foal Sanctuary and Blue Cross, has helped create a joined-up, community-engaged animal welfare presence at the Fair.
RSPCA Chief Inspector, Rob Melloy, said:
“Westmorland and Furness Council have consistently led the way in enhancing animal welfare outcomes through innovative thinking and close collaboration with partners. Central to their approach is their support of the RSPCA, who lead the animal welfare operation on the ground at Appleby Horse Fair.
“Over the past two years, the council has taken a bold and forward-thinking step by delegating powers under the Animal Welfare Act to RSPCA inspectors during the Fair. This has transformed the RSPCA's ability to act swiftly and decisively when encountering an animal in distress - reducing delays and improving outcomes for animals in need of urgent care.
“The council’s leadership in implementing this approach has been both practical and visionary. Their support for infrastructure, planning, and communication around the Fair - combined with this empowering of specialist animal welfare officers - has made Appleby a model of how traditional events can be managed with modern welfare standards at the forefront.
“This nomination recognises not just the council’s role in facilitating an essential service, but their willingness to innovate, to trust in expert partners, and to always place animal welfare at the heart of their decision-making.
“This award is also in memory of Inspector Kirsty Withnall who attended Appleby Fair on the RSPCA team and was one of our Equine Specialist Officers. She was well liked and respected by all. This makes the award very special to the RSPCA Appleby Fair Team.”
Detective Superintendent Dan StQuintin, Gold Commander for Appleby Horse Fair, said:
“Animal welfare is always a high priority for all of the agencies involved in responding to the annual horse fair and, in this instance, innovative thinking in empowering RSPCA staff to take immediate action has resulted in more animals being safeguarded and an increase in positive outcomes.
“The success of this innovative decision is not just beneficial to Appleby Horse Fair but could well lead to other local authorities seeking to follow Westmorland and Furness’ lead in taking a similar approach in their localities.”
Director of Thriving Communities for Westmorland and Furness Council and Chair of the Multi Agency Strategic Coordinating Group (MASCG) for Appleby Horse Fair, Steph Cordon, said:
“Westmorland and Furness Council is proud to lead one of the UK’s most innovative multi-agency responses to animal welfare challenges at the annual Appleby Horse Fair. As chair of the MASCG, we work in close collaboration with partners, including the RSPCA, Cumbria Police, Fire and Rescue, health services, and traveller representatives to ensure that the fair is safe and respectful for all involved, particularly the animals.
“I’m incredibly proud that this initiative has been shortlisted for the first ever RSPCA PawPrints Withnall Partnership Award and I believe it encapsulates everything the award stands for. The ambitious, compassionate, and collaborative approach we’ve taken has not only improved welfare outcomes at one of the UK’s most complex animal environments, but also provided a model for progressive reform nationally.”
The council will discover if its nomination has been successful at the annual RSPCA Pawprints Awards ceremony being held in Leeds on 13 November.