Edinburgh Dog and Cat Home makes final appeal for winter support
"Every donation, big or small, makes a real difference." - Lindsay Fyffe-Jardine.
Edinburgh Dog and Cat Home has called on the public to help it reach the £134,500 goal of its Winter Appeal.
The Home says that these funds will be vital to cover the costs of rising care this winter, with heating costs expected to reach £22,000.
Edinburgh Dog and Cat Home costs approximately £3 million a year to stay open. It receives no government funding and relies almost entirely on donations.
In the past year, it reports that it has processed 1,635 surrender requests. It says that this figure nearly matches the entire estimated dog population in the EH1 postcode.
Due to this rise in demand, the Home has often been forced to turn people away from its services.
As well as calls to surrender pets, the Home receives many calls from pet owners seeking advice on caring for pets during times of financial struggle. From January to June 2024, the charity received 17,995 calls, exceeding the 17,021 calls that were received throughout the entirety of 2023.
This has amounted to 872 hours of support over the charity’s helpline. Call handlers provide people with emotional support so that they can keep their pets, as well as signposting resources, training tips and practical advice.
Alongside the challenges, Edinburgh Dog and Cat Home has also marked a number of successes.
So far, the Home has found families for 216 dogs and cats. It has also been able to reunite 95 missing pets with their owners.
Lindsay Fyffe-Jardine, CEO of Edinburgh Dog and Cat Home, said: "We’ve seen an overwhelming demand for our services this year. Each call we take, and each family we support, reminds us why this work is so vital.
“Our Winter Appeal is about ensuring we can continue being a beacon of hope for pets and their people in the toughest of times.
“Every donation, big or small, makes a real difference."
Visit the charity’s website for more details.
Image © Edinburgh Dog and Cat Home
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