BRENT Council was given the RSPCA's highest award last week.

The borough was handed the organisation's Gold Footprint on Tuesday for its work helping stray dogs and stopping pets from becoming stray in the first place.

Craig Johnstone, animal welfare manager, said: "We are so pleased to be recognised for our hard work and commitment in dealing with the issue of stray dogs and animal welfare in general.

"We provide a high quality service which has been very successful in tackling the issue as well as encouraging responsible dog ownership, and we are delighted that our work has been recognised by the RSPCA."