THE EDINBURGH DOG AND CAT HOME (EDCH) has been providing care and love for lost, abandoned and unwanted dogs and cats since it was set up in 1883, which makes it one of Scotland's oldest animal welfare charities. It is situated on the sea front in Edinburgh and is a well-established part of Edinburgh's history and a highly respected organisation. It is also one of the founder members of The Association of Dogs and Cats Homes.
The EDCH is a registered charity and is governed by a Committee of Management, which currently comprises six trustees and which meets four times each year. The Home employs around 30 staff. In addition to this, it also uses volunteers to spend time with the animals, to help with fundraising and to work in its charity shop. It has built up a very active following on social media and is currently in the process of updating its website.
Animals are brought to the Home by members of the public, the police and dog wardens. It tries, whenever possible, to find new and loving homes for all its animals and the staff are passionate about what they do and how they do it. The organisation aims to show that pet ownership, although challenging at times, can be one of the most rewarding things anyone can do. It receives no funding from the government, lottery or local authorities and depends on donations from the public to survive and to continue its work.
The EDCH takes in over a thousand stray and unwanted dogs and cats each year and aims never to turn away any dog or cat brought to it for help. The Home has a non-destruction policy. This means that no animal will be destroyed unless it has an incurable illness, is suffering from the effects of extreme old age or has a serious behavioural issue. It tries to make the lives of all its animal residents as comfortable and as enjoyable as possible until new homes are found for them.
Rehoming is a key part of the work of the EDCH. The staff aim to find the right loving and caring home for each of the animals, no matter how long it takes. They have the training and experience to assess an animal's likes, dislikes and fears and to work with them to overcome any problems. The aim is to make sure that each animal goes off to its new home vet checked, micro-chipped, vaccinated and neutered.
To support its charitable work, the EDCH also provides high quality boarding facilities for both dogs and cats and last year looked after almost 3,000 boarding animals.
For additional information, please visit the EDCH website at the link below:
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