THE Edinburgh Dog and Cat Home is taking in more pets than ever before following an increase in the number of households welcoming new additions to their family during Covid and the cost-of-living crisis.
In 2023, the home has received 1,208 surrender requests (898 dogs and 479 cats).
However, the recent increase in demands has meant the home is unable to take in more than 85% of requests.
Since January 2023, more than 561 enquiries have been made by families struggling to make ends meet and subsequently seeking support to help keep their pets at home.
The home’s food bank service across East and Central Scotland has also seen a 39.4% increase in demand from last year.
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.
Piper is one cat who came to the home earlier this year, heavily pregnant and living outside as a stray.
Piper settled into the home quickly with the help of the team, giving birth to four healthy kittens on her first night.
Now, 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.
Pipers kittens; Snowflake, Calico, Atreyu, Maya are are all doing well and have recently gone to their own loving homes.
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.”
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 have launched a winter appeal to support the charity as the demands for their services increase, continue to support animals in need, especially throughout the winter months.
To make a donation and to read more of their life-altering stories please visit www.edch.org.uk/winterappeal
