Edinburgh Dog and Cat Home – The NEN

Edinburgh Dog and Cat Home reports highest ever demand for services

This year saw the charity deliver a staggering 495,207 meals to foodbanks

With operational costs continuing to rise and demand for services at an all-time high, Edinburgh Dog and Cat Home has launched its Winter Appeal to ensure no pet is left without care during the harsh months ahead.

This year has seen record-breaking pressures on the charity, with nearly 400 new admissions between September 2023 and August 2024. Over the same period, the Home distributed 44,960kg of pet food, more than the weight of a Boeing 737-800 airplane, to food banks across Central and East Scotland to help keep pets with their families.

Despite these challenges, Edinburgh Dog and Cat Home has rehomed 194 cats and dogs and served 487,352 meals to pets in need this year.

One of the many lives transformed this year is Mary’s. Found as a stray in September 2023, Mary arrived at the Edinburgh Dog and Cat Home frightened and vulnerable. During her intake, the team discovered she was also pregnant.

With the warmth and care of the Home, Mary gave birth to six healthy puppies just weeks later. Thanks to the dedicated efforts of the staff and the generosity of supporters, her puppies had the best possible start in life and have since been rehomed with loving families.

Mary’s story doesn’t end there. After months of recovery and love, she too found her forever home with a family that will ensure her days are filled with the care and affection she deserves. Mary’s journey is a testament to the vital role of the Edinburgh Dog and Cat Home in providing second chances to pets in need and highlights the importance of community support to make these happy endings possible.

“The community’s support is more vital than ever,” said Lindsay Fyffe-Jardine, CEO of Edinburgh Dog and Cat Home. “This winter, we are calling on individuals and businesses to help us continue providing life-saving services.

Every small action — from donating funds to organizing a pet food drive — contributes directly to ensuring no animal is left cold or hungry this winter.”

The Edinburgh Dog and Cat Home aims to raise £134,500 from this year’s Winter Appeal. Staggering operational costs mean that every penny raised will ensure that the animals of the Home are well cared for this winter and will also help to ensure more happy stories like Mary and the 281 rehomed and reunited this year.

Over £22,000 will be spent on heating the Home over the next few months alone, and daily service costs amount to £7,000. Donations of as little as £10 can provide essential vaccinations for a cat, while £150 could keep all the Home’s dogs warm for the day.

Founded in 1883, Edinburgh Dog and Cat Home has been a lifeline for the community for over 140 years, relying entirely on public donations to sustain its vital work.

To support the Winter Appeal, visit www.edch.org.uk/winterappeal or text WARMHEARTS to 70085 to donate £10.

The Stand to host comedy night in aid of Edinburgh Dog and Cat Home

8th DECEMBER at 8pm

The Stand are hosting a comedy night in aid of Edinburgh Dog and Cat Home – don’t miss out!

On the 8th December at 8pm, join host Liam Withnail and special guests Bee Babylon, Robin Grainger and headliner Fred MacAulay for a night of laughter and fundraising.

Get your tickets here: https://bit.ly/40CgF2M

Why are there scarves on Edinburgh’s iconic dog statues?

EDINBURGH DOG AND CAT HOME LAUNCHES WINTER APPEAL

As winter sets in, the Edinburgh Dog and Cat Home is reaching out for support through its urgent Winter Appeal, aimed at providing vital care for animals in need through much needed donations.

This year, the charity has faced a record number of animal admissions, with nearly 400 new arrivals between September 2023 and August 2024, coinciding with all-time high operational costs.

To raise awareness for their cause, the Home has adorned Edinburgh’s iconic statues of Greyfriars Bobby and Bum the Dog with scarves and blankets, symbolising the warmth and compassion that the community can provide to vulnerable animals and their owners during these cold months.

The Winter Appeal is critical, as it helps the charity sustain its operations and provide essential services. It is estimated to cost over £22,000 this winter to solely heat the Home on top of regular services which sit at £7,000 per day.

Between January and June this year, the Home provided 306,247 meals to pets in Edinburgh, which is the equivalent of the weight of two and a half Lothian buses, and between January to August they successfully rehomed 150 cats and dogs.

Unfortunately, the demand for services has escalated, with the Home’s helpline receiving a staggering 872 hours of calls (equivalent to watching every James Bond film 17 times!) between January and June 2024.

Those six months also saw the Home receive a 10% increase in surrender requests compared to the same period in 2023.

The Home is appealing to members of the public, businesses and groups to get involved and show love and warmth to the animals who rely on its vital support by donating funds to their Winter Appeal.

Communities can also get involved – for example, by hosting a pet food drive, or organising a fundraising Christmas jumper day or even daring to face the cold dip challenge – all helping to raise vital funds and significantly helping pet owners from having to surrender their beloved pets.

“The warm scarves and blankets adorning the Greyfriars Bobby and Bum the Dog statues serve as a beautiful reminder of the love and compassion we can extend to our vulnerable animals. These iconic figures, known for their loyalty, symbolise the bond we share with our pets, and together we can ensure that no animal in need is left without care and warmth this winter.

“The need for our services continues to grow, and it’s through the kindness of our supporters that we’ve been able to assist both pet owners and their beloved animals. Our helpline received 17,995 calls in the first half of this year alone, already surpassing the 17,021 calls we received in the entirety of 2023.

“Every donation counts – Just £10 pays for essential vaccinations for a cat for a whole year. A donation of £150 can keep all our dogs and cats warm for a day, and £25 is enough to keep a hungry dog’s belly full for a whole month.”

The Edinburgh Dog and Cat Home has been serving the community for over 140 years, offering a second chance to countless animals. This winter they are calling upon the community to help ensure that no animal is left without love and care.

To support the Winter Appeal, please visit www.edch.org.uk/winterappeal or text WARMHEARTS to 70085 to donate £10.

Edinburgh Dog and Cat Home tackles pet poverty head on with their Pet Care Clinic

Pet owners in Edinburgh and Midlothian who are struggling to afford to care for their pets are being given the opportunity to attend drop-in Pet Care sessions at four locations across the city.

Providing support, and guidance, the Pet Care Clinics are an in-person service which allows veterinary experts who volunteer for the Edinburgh Dog and Cat to support owners with basic behavioural queries, providing equipment to support training, advice on welfare, wellbeing checks and signposting to available services and support.

The monthly drop in sessions take place at Simon Community Scotland, Food Facts Friends (Penicuik), Craigmillar’s Edinburgh Food Project and the Salvation Army in Granton.

These venues are also supported by the Edinburgh Dog and Cat Home’s food bank service, which works with 87 pet food bank providers across East and Central Scotland, providing meals to pet owners who would otherwise not be able to afford to feed their beloved pets.

The cost of living crisis has impacted the ways in which some pet owners care for their animals with some being forced to surrender their pets due to being unable to afford to care for them. From January to April 2024 the Home received 458 surrender requests from those struggling to keep their pet, they administered 104 vaccinations to animals in their care and provided 181 free pet essential items to owners in need.

Jamie Simpson, Director of People and Services at Edinburgh Dog and Cat Home, said,“ We are seeing a worrying increase in the number of pet owners who are unable to afford vet treatment and don’t know where to go to get advice on training, behaviour, nutrition or general pet care.

“We want to take action to prevent minor issues, behavioural or veterinary, becoming much bigger issues and in doing so prevent a pet owner from potentially having to give up their pet.

“Our Pet Care clinics include a volunteer vet to support with basic pet care advice and are delivered in partnership with local organisations in a hub setting to allow owners to find support and advice under one roof.

“The aim is to support pet owners with advice as well as to signpost them to other support and in doing so, keep pets in loving homes.”

Volunteer vet, Victor Bates said, “For many of the people seen via Pet Care, the impression is that their pets are sometimes the one real emotional support and constant in their lives.

“I think that Pet Care helps to at least reduce some of the worries that people on low or no incomes have about feeding and ensuring the well being of their pets and companions.”

Volunteer vet, Susan Little said, “As a local vet with some spare time, I enjoy being able to help and advise people, whilst sharing in their stories of their pets, with all their adventures and mischief.

“Being part of a regular, small team of friendly faces allows trust to be built up, so that folk feel comfortable to confide in us about the issues they are facing. “We are able to give general support and advice, along with being able to make a bit of fuss of any dogs which they bring along.

“A bit of chat and humour with the people coming along to the sessions makes it an inclusive, welcoming time, which is rewarding for volunteers and owners.”

Hugh Hill from Simon Community Scotland said, “‘Across all our services we support people to stay connected with their dogs.

“We recognise the companionship and care each receives from each and in many cases it isn’t simply the most important relationship in their lives, it can be the only one. Our partnership with Edinburgh Dog and Cat Home has been hugely valuable in supporting owners and their dogs to stay together and have the support to maintain that powerfully healthy relationship.”

Please contact foodbanks@edch.org.uk if you would like to support the Edinburgh Dog and Cat Home by running a pet food drive at your place of work or community group, or if any pet food store/business would like to help with donations.

For more information please visit: www.edch.org.uk/pet-care

Scottish Pet Food Banks suffer from huge drop in donations

Edinburgh Dog and Cat Home reports drop in donations has had a serious impact on pet owners

The pet food bank service which has been used as a lifeline by so many has been severely affected by the drop in donations it receives.

The Edinburgh Dog and Cat Home (the Home) works with 87 pet food bank providers across East and Central Scotland, providing meals to pet owners who would otherwise not be able to afford to feed their beloved pets.

Without food bank support from the Edinburgh Dog and Cat Home, some pet owners would be forced to surrender their beloved dog or cat. However, capacity at the Home itself is at a maximum and if even 1% of animals supported by foodbanks had been surrendered to the Home, they would be beyond capacity and be forced to turn them away.

In 2023 the Home was able to fulfil over 75% of pet food requests that they received, but that number has dropped to less than 50% since February 2024. The Home is now struggling to support the food banks with even the basic amount of cat and dog food that they require to support families in desperate need.

The demand for pet food bank support is growing so rapidly it is currently outstripping supply.

Last year the Home provided 671,000 pet meals in total through emergency food packs accessed at the Home and through food banks – a staggering 104% increase on the number of meals they provided in 2022. In April 2024 alone the Home supplied 1,144 dogs with one week’s worth of dog food and 2,124 cats were supported with one week’s worth of cat food.

Jamie Simpson, Director of People and Services at Edinburgh Dog and Cat Home, said,“Our Pet Foodbanks are a lifeline for thousands of dog and cat owners across East & Central Scotland, who, without our support, may have to give up their loved pet.

“We rely solely on donations to provide food supplies and with the cost-of-living crisis, demand is increasing. The Home is now at a point in which our foodbank donations are critically low but demand for help is at a record high, so we are asking anyone who can to support us with a donation of dog or cat food, to help pet owners in need in the community and keep pets in loving homes.”

The cost of living crisis has put pressure on food banks to support growing numbers of communities who are not able to afford to feed their families and pets.

In 2023 the Edinburgh Cat and Dog Home supplied 86,779kg of pet food, 595,816 meals were distributed at pet food banks across East and Central Scotland, 753 dogs were helped through Emergency Food Packs (75% increase from 2022), and 798 cats were helped (an 8% increase from 2022).

Food bank provider, Marie Johnson from Broxburn’s The Larder, said, “A couple of years ago I used to go out once or twice a week to collect donations, now I’m going out every single day.

“As soon as I stack the shelves they are being emptied.”

Without food bank support from the Edinburgh Dog and Cat Home, some pet owners would be forced to surrender their beloved dog or cat, as this anonymous user explains: “I didn’t realise I could get help with dog food. I have been missing meals myself to make sure my two dogs were being fed, thanks to the Larder and the Dog and Cat Home, I can eat as well now.

“Without the food provision support I would have to give up my two dogs which would be terrible – my pets are key to my mental and physical health and overall wellbeing. I would like to say thank you for the pet food, I really don’t know what I would do without this service.”

The support of generous donors has kept Edinburgh Dog and Cat Home open for 140 years, giving animals a safe place to recover and find love and helping countless more pets through 87 foodbanks across East and Central Scotland.

Twenty volunteers collect, organise and distribute donations to pet food bank locations across Scotland each week.

Please contact foodbanks@edch.or.uk if you would like to support the Edinburgh Dog and Cat Home by running a pet food drive at your place of work or community group, or if any pet food store/business would like to help with donations.

Dogs sport iconic colours ahead of Edinburgh derby

They don’t care what side you support!

As football fans across the city look forward to the Edinburgh Derby tonight on the 27th December, the four-legged residents of Edinburgh Dog and Cat Home have donned both teams’ colours. They don’t mind who you support, they would just love to watch by your side.

In 2023, Edinburgh Dog and Cat Home has seen a record number of requests to surrender pets or access support from their pet foodbanks.

Getting in the matchday spirit, Alfie a 4-year-old Domestic Shorthair cat, Copper a 7-month-old German Shorthaired Pointer, Peter a 12-year-old Lurcher, Lily and Daisy 1.5-year-old Jack Russel x Poodles, and finally Reggie and Ronnie a pair of 8-year-old Jack Russels, have been sporting the famous colours of both Edinburgh teams.

Lindsay Fyffe Jardine, CEO of the Edinburgh Dog and Cat Home, said: “We know how much football means to people across Scotland, ahead of the Edinburgh Derby we wanted to highlight that our residents who are looking for a new home, don’t care who you support, they just want to be by your side.

“This year we have seen a record number of surrender requests as well as a significant increase in the need for pet food bank support. Winter is especially difficult for us, and we are extremely grateful to anyone who can donate towards our winter appeal, or able to give a pet a loving home.”

The Edinburgh Dog and Cat Home finds winter an especially difficult season as higher costs drain funds while demand for their vital services increases.

They recently launched a Winter Appeal, seeking donations to enable the Home to cope with the increased demand, continue providing vital support to animals in need and help people to keep their beloved pets at home.

To make a donation and to read more of their life-altering stories please visit:

www.edch.org.uk/winterappeal

OR text SURRENDER to 70560 to donate £5.

Santa Paws! Christmas Day at the Edinburgh Dog and Cat Home

Christmas is a wonderful time for so many; filled with love and connection, and at the Edinburgh Dog and Cat Home it’s no different. For many staff, Christmas day is spent at the Home, looking after the animals and sharing Christmas cheer.

A typical Christmas day at the Home consists of even more love, treats and playtime for its residents. In the lead up to the big day, members of the team have wrapped up presents for every animal to open and enjoy. The dogs are taken for a big run around outside, followed by Christmas snacks, presents and lots of cuddles.

The team give each cat a gift to suit their personal tastes such as a soft toy or a ball, but inevitably, they’re more interested in the wrapping paper! They are then treated with Tuna, Sardines and gourmet cat food for their delicious Christmas dinner.

The Home works endlessly all year round to help keep pets in their loving homes, but sadly receive a heart-breaking number of surrender requests when owners are no longer able to care for their pet.

Earlier this year Simon came to the Home as a young puppy after being found tied to a park bench alone in the early hours of a cold Spring morning, beside a plastic bag with his belongings. Simon was left frightened, malnourished and anxious.

When he arrived at the Home he quickly captured the whole team’s hearts. Thanks to the care, love and hard work he received, Simon gained enough confidence, and condition, to be ready to go to his forever home.

Lindsay Fyffe-Jardine, CEO of Edinburgh Dog and Cat Home said: ‘Our team creates something truly special here at Christmas. Everyone is so dedicated to the animals and mission that we are more than happy to spend the day here at the Home. It’s always such high spirits, with everyone chipping in to make the day all the more fun for each other and for the dogs and cats.

“Until the animals are rescued and re-homed, we are their family, and Christmas is the time for family.”

The Edinburgh Dog and Cat Home finds winter an especially difficult season as higher costs drain funds while demand for their vital services increases.

To help get through the winter months, the Home recently launched a Winter Appeal, seeking donations to enable the Home to cope with the increased demand, continue providing vital support to animals in need and help people to keep their beloved pets at home.

To make a donation and to read more of their life-altering stories please visit www.edch.org.uk/winterappeal OR text SURRENDER to 70560 to donate £5.

Donations of £20 can provide a cat with the vaccinations they require to be rehomed or £100 could keep a dog warm in the Home for three months.

Texts will cost the donation amount plus one standard network rate message, and you’ll be opting into hearing more from Edinburgh Dog and Cat Home. If you would like to donate but don’t wish to hear more, text SURRENDERNOINFO instead.

Increasing numbers of pet owners rely on the support of food banks to feed their animals

Edinburgh Dog and Cat Home reports demand for pet food bank support is now outstripping the supply

As the cost of living escalates, increasing demand is being made on food banks. And not just to feed people – pet owners are being faced with the awful reality of not being able to afford food for their animals so have begun to rely on food banks to feed their beloved pets.

At the end of 2020 the Edinburgh Dog and Cat Home supplied fifty food banks in East and Central Scotland with vital meals for pets. They now supply 88 and requests from pet owners since last year has risen by 33%.

To demonstrate just how much demand has increased, in October 2020 the Home provided 500 food bank meals – compared with a staggering 52,613 in October 2023.

Community Outreach Lead at the Edinburgh Dog and Cat Home, Kirsten Gillon, said that the cost-of-living crisis is partly to blame. She said, “The cost-of-living crisis has really accentuated the fact that people are needing help to feed their pets.

“And it’s not always people who are on benefits who need us, it’s also people who are working and can’t access government support, so they are forced turn to our food banks.”

The demand for pet food bank support is growing so rapidly it is currently outstripping supply.

Kirsten continued, “The need is just growing and growing, it’s not declining in any way. The need is far greater than anything I thought it would be. And trying to find enough donations to fill the requests is really difficult.

“We’ve tried to increase donations coming in and we try to split donations as fairly and equally as we can across locations. It’s not always possible as we are at the mercy of the generous donations of the public.”

Without food bank support from the Edinburgh Dog and Cat Home, some pet owners would be forced to surrender their beloved dog or cat, as this anonymous user explains:

“Pets are key to my mental health as well as physical health and over all wellbeing. I didn’t realise I could get help with dog food and have been going without so I could feed my two dogs. This help with food is so appreciated and allows us all to be fed and stay together.”

The Edinburgh Dog and Cat Home finds winter an especially difficult season as higher costs drain funds while demand for their vital services increases.

To make a donation and to read more of their life-altering stories please visit www.edch.org.uk/winterappeal OR text SURRENDER to 70560 to donate £5.

Donations of £20 can provide a cat with the vaccinations they require to be rehomed or £100 could keep a dog warm in the Home for three months.

The support of generous donors has kept Edinburgh Dog and Cat Home open for 140 years and given animals a safe place to recover, find love and to support 88 foodbanks across East and Central Scotland.

Edinburgh Dog and Cat Home’s first ‘Ambassadog’ leads urgent Winter Appeal

Edinburgh’s insta-famous ‘petfluencer’ Hunter (@hunter.the.good.boy) has been named as Edinburgh Dog and Cat Home’s very first ‘Ambassadog’.

Stepping up for the role, Hunter visited the home to find out more about the services they offer and lend a paw loading up the food-bank donations van.

A frequent visitor to the Home’s Big Dog Park, located at Seafield promenade, Hunter’s owners often book out the private hire outdoor space to allow him to enjoy some free time to run around in a secure space.

Edinburgh Dog and Cat Home enlisted the help of Hunter to help spread the word about their winter campaign as they face an unprecedented increase in demand for their support services including food banks and emergency food packages.

The charity’s Winter Appeal is calling out for support to enable them to provide vital aid for animals in need and help people to keep their beloved pets at home this winter.

Depending on the funding from public donations and the assistance of volunteer support to help staff, The Edinburgh Dog and Cat Home finds winter an especially difficult season as high energy prices drain funds while demand for their vital services increases.

Lindsay Fyffe-Jardine, CEO of Edinburgh Dog and Cat Home, explained, “We have seen a devastating increase in the number of surrender requests that we have received this year.

“This is due to various factors, including financial difficulties, behavioural issues and personal circumstances. We have supported pets for 140 years and it’s so important now, more so than ever, that we continue to receive donations and help provide pets with a safe place to recover, find love and also enable owners going through hard times to stay together with their pets.

“We don’t judge anyone or their circumstances and know that the rise in the cost of living has caused some to struggle to make ends meet. Winter can be especially tough, so with the support of our new Ambassadog Hunter, we are appealing to those who can, to make a donation. £20 can provide a cat with the vaccinations they require to be rehomed or £100 could keep a dog warm in the Home for three months.”

To make a donation please visit www.edch.org.uk/winterappeal OR text SURRENDER to 70560 to donate £5.

Edinburgh Dog and Cat Home reveal record year for number of pets seeking new homes

– It’ll be lonely this Christmas for almost a hundred dogs and cats in Edinburgh as a record number of families have had to make the difficult decision to give up their pets this year –

With a rise in the number of households welcoming new pets to their family during Covid, coupled with the financial devastation of the cost-of-living crisis, 2023 has seen the Edinburgh Dog and Cat Home taking in more pets than ever before.

So far this year, the Home has received a staggering 1,208 surrender requests (898 dogs and 479 cats). The dramatic increase in demand has left the Home unable to take in 85.8% of the requests.

Additionally, since January 2023, more than 561 enquiries, a 33% increase from last year, have been made by families struggling to make ends meet and subsequently seeking support to help keep their pets at home, and the Home’s food bank service across East and Central Scotland has seen a 39.4% increase in demand from last year.

But all hope is not lost, as thanks to the hard work of its staff and volunteers, the Edinburgh Dog and Cat Home team has already supported 148 dogs and 72 cats to find new loving homes for life this past year and has managed to keep over 4,500 pets with their owners through community support services such as pet food banks, educational content and training, and other outreach services.

The Home has also delivered a fantastic 85 emergency dog first aid courses and an additional 144 full dog first aid qualifications to pet owners in Edinburgh, helping to keep the city’s pets safe and healthy.

Piper is one pet who came into the hands of the Home earlier this year, heavily pregnant and living outside as a stray.

Piper was brought to the Home by a couple after they had seen her around their neighborhood for a couple of months and had attempted to find her owner via Facebook and various other groups to no avail. When they noticed that Piper’s belly was getting bigger, they put it down to a potential health problem and decided to bring her in – luckily just in time.

Piper gave birth to 4 healthy kittens on her very first night in the Home, without which, she would have had to try and find a safe space to give birth outside and her kittens might not have made it. The team had her settled into the Home quickly on the night she arrived and witnessed the relief she felt being able to give birth to her kittens in a safe environment. By the morning, the first of her litter had arrived.

Just a few months later, Piper has been happily rehomed with vet nurse Lauren, who fell in love with Piper when she visited Lauren’s vet practice for mastitis treatment after giving birth, and then again to be spayed.

Lauren and her partner visited Piper a couple of times at the Home and enjoyed playing with her and getting to know her. From the first night they took her home, she was snuggled up on their bed, enjoying head scratches and cuddles and is slowly gaining trust to come up to them and sit on their laps.

Lauren said: “It just feels like my life wasn’t complete without having a cat and she’s just fitted in so well, I feel like it was meant to be. She’s honestly amazing. I love her little personality, she’s independent but so friendly and affectionate as well, she’s the perfect cat.”

Pipers kittens; Snowflake, Calico, Atreyu, Maya are are all doing well and have recently gone to their own loving homes.

Lindsay Fyffe-Jardine, CEO of Edinburgh Dog and Cat Home said: “Thanks to the hard work of our team, the support of volunteers who have donated almost 2,000 hours over the course of the past year, and the generosity of the people of Edinburgh and beyond for their kind donations, we have been able to help many pets through preventative community work and by caring for and rehoming animals who come to us.

However, to help us keep on top of the unprecedented increase in demand, now more than ever we’re relying on funding from public donations to enable us to support owners going through hard times to stay together with their pets, or rehabilitate and rehome pets like Piper.”

The Edinburgh Dog and Cat Home finds winter an especially difficult season as higher costs drain funds while demand for their vital services increases. To help get through the winter months, the Home recently launched a Winter Appeal, seeking donations to enable the Home to cope with the increased demand, continue providing vital support to animals in need and help people to keep their beloved pets at home.

To make a donation and to read more of their life-altering stories please visit www.edch.org.uk/winterappeal OR text SURRENDER to 70560 to donate £5.

Donations of £20 can provide a cat with the vaccinations they require to be rehomed or £100 could keep a dog warm in the Home for three months.

The support of generous donors has kept Edinburgh Dog and Cat Home open for 140 years and given Piper and hundreds like them a safe place to recover and find love.

The Home has become an important part of the city and to bring this to life Edinburgh Dog and Cat Home has photographed some of its former residents that have now been rehomed; Reggie, Truffle, Martha, and Toffee, at some of Edinburgh’s other iconic locations including the Forth Bridge, Greyfriars Bobby and Edinburgh Castle.